WATERTOWN, Mass., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Micromachines Corporation, a leading provider of MEMS-based deformable mirror products for adaptive optics systems, today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the UCO/Lick Observatory, headquartered at the University of California Santa Cruz campus, to develop the largest MEMS deformable mirror (DM) ever produced. The new MEMS deformable mirror will be used in the study of extra- solar planets in the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI).
Custom built and manufactured by Boston Micromachines specifically for the GPI, the deformable mirror will have 4096 actuators over a 25mm aperture. The Gemini telescopes will use the DM for precise wavefront control, enabling high-contrast imaging of planets outside of our solar system. Plans call for this instrument to be deployed in 2010 on the Gemini South telescope.
Under the guidance of the Laboratory for Adaptive Optics at UCO/Lick and the Center for Adaptive Optics at UC Santa Cruz, a prototype imaging system was built using Boston Micromachines’ Kilo-DM deformable mirror which has 10.5 mm aperture with 1.5 microns of deflection. This successful prototype led to the commission a larger custom designed mirror from Boston Micromachines.
“The MEMS deformable mirror is an exciting new development in technology that will enable us to achieve the precise measurements needed to observe extra-solar planets directly in their own light,” said Donald Gavel, Director of the Laboratory for Adaptive Optics. “Our initial testing has proved the precision and stability of the Kilo-DM mirror. The high precision wavefront control of the 4096 actuator mirror to be built for the GPI will give us the high-order adaptive optics system that will correct the blurring effects of the atmosphere.”
“We are pleased to be part of this new frontier in science exploration with the GPI’s search for extra-solar planets,” said Paul Bierden, president and CEO of Boston Micromachines. “Our high performance Kilo-DM mirror demonstrated its scientific and technical strengths during the rigorous design studies that determined the technical viability of the imaging process. We will continue pushing the technology to meet the demanding needs of the astronomical community and look forward to our ongoing work with the talented Gemini community during our custom design process.”
About Boston Micromachines Corporation
Founded in 1999, Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) is the leading provider of advanced microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) - based mirror products for use in commercial adaptive optics systems, applying wavefront correction to produce high resolution images of the human retina and enhance images blurred by the Earth’s atmosphere. The company’s suite of award- winning compact deformable mirror (DM) products are the most cost-effective, highest performance mirrors in the market today. They are widely used in vision science applications such as advanced optic retinal imaging, long range laser communications, and astronomy, including NASA’s search for planets in other solar systems. Customers include leading manufacturers of optical imaging and communication systems, governmental agencies and contractors, and vision science research laboratories worldwide, including NASA, UCal Berkeley, Lockheed Martin and Boston University. Located in Watertown, Mass BMC is privately held and also offers custom designed manufacturing services. For more information on BMC, please visit www.bostonmicromachines.com.
Boston Micromachines Corporation
CONTACT: Laura MacSweeney of Red Javelin Communications, +1-718-395-6420,or laura@redjavelin.com, for Boston Micromachines Corporation
Web site: http://www.bostonmicromachines.com/
