A Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based Cryogenic Deformable Mirror

We present our first results on the development and evaluation of a cryogenic deformable mirror (DM) based on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. A MEMS silicon-based DM chip with 32 channels, in which each channel is 300 mu m x 300 mu m in size, was mounted on a silicon substrate in order to minimize distortion and prevent it from being permanently damaged by thermal stresses introduced by cooling. The silicon substrate was oxidized to obtain electric insulation and had a metal fan-out pattern on the surface. For cryogenic tests, we constructed a measurement system consisting of a Fizeau interferometer, a cryostat cooled by liquid N-2, zooming optics, electric drivers. The surface of the mirror at 95 K deformed in response to the application of a voltage, and no significant difference was found between the deformation at 95 K and that at room temperature. The power dissipation by the cryogenic DM was also measured, and we suggest that this is small enough for it to be used in a space cryogenic telescope. The properties of the DM remained unchanged after five cycles of vacuum pumping, cooling, warming, and venting. We conclude that fabricating cryogenic DMs employing MEMS technology is a promising approach. Therefore, we intend to develop a more sophisticated device for actual use, and to look for potential applications including the Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology & Astrophysics (SPICA), and other missions.