Principal Investigator Kerri Cahoy
Developing high-actuator count MEMS deformable mirror systems for high contrast and high dynamic range imaging for both defense and scientific applications in the Wavefront Control Laboratory. Using high-actuator count MEMS deformable mirrors on space telescopes equipped with coronagraphs will enable future direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets. Direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets yield spectra that contain information about the composition and abundances of gases in the exoplanet atmospheres. These spectra can be used to infer whether or not there is life on Earth-like exoplanets. We develop and test wavefront sensing, control, and reconstruction algorithms as well as design, build, and test the performance of these optical systems. Related interests include use of deformable mirrors and other spatial light modulators for free space optical communication.