Distributed actuator deformable mirror

In this paper we present a Deformable Mirror (DM) based on the continuous voltage distribution over a resistive layer. This DM can correct the low order aberrations (defocus, astigmatism, coma and spherical aberration) using three electrodes with nine contacts leading to an ideal device for sensorless applications. We present a mathematical description of the mirror, a comparison between the simulations and the experimental results. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the device we compared its performance with the one of a multiactuator DM of similar properties in the correction of an aberration statistics. At the end of the paper an example of sensorless correction is shown.