EXEP: Development of a Multiplex Application Specific Integrated Circuit driver for Deformable Mirrors

Deformable mirrors (DMs) are at the heart of any adaptive optics system. State-of-the-art, high-actuator count DMs suffer from external heavy and bulky electronics in which electrical connections are made through thousands of wires. To overcome this challenge, we are developing Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) capable of driving a DM in a single small package in space conditions. This integrated ASIC-DM is ideal for space missions, where it offers significant reduction in mass, power and complexity while maintaining performance compatible with high-contrast imaging of exoplanets. We successfully prototyped, package and tested a 16x16 DM-ASIC array following the Roman Space Telescope mission requirements. The ASIC chip was irradiated to a total ionizing dose equivalent to a 6-year mission in L2 orbit and tested at the Roman coronagraph specific temperature range.