Abstract: A deformable mirror comprises a deformable membrane extending at rest in a first plane and having a reflecting front face and a back face opposite the front face, a supporting structure, an actuator having a first and second end, the first end fixed to the supporting structure, the second end displaced relative to the first end on a first axis substantially at right angles to the first plane to exert, on the back face, an axial load on the first axis, to locally deform the deformable membrane. The mirror comprises a plate that is substantially flat in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane, positioned between the actuator and deformable membrane, linked to the back face and deformed when the actuator exerts the axial load, and the plate is rigid in the second plane to take up loads applied to the mirror in the second plane.

Abstract: A nanometer-scale precision actuator comprises a base, an intermediate structure, an output interface, and two linear elements producing a controllable extension in the same longitudinal direction, each between a first and a second end. A first of the two elements has a first end fixed onto the intermediate structure and a second end fixed onto the base, a second of the two elements has a first end fixed onto the intermediate structure and a second end fixed to the output interface. The base and the intermediate structure are positioned in such a manner that the controllable extension of the second element produces a displacement of the actuator in a first direction and the controllable extension of the first element produces a displacement of the actuator in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, with respect to the base.

Abstract: A deformable mirror comprises a deformable membrane extending at rest in a first plane and having a reflecting front face and a back face opposite the front face, a supporting structure, an actuator having a first and second end, the first end fixed to the supporting structure, the second end displaced relative to the first end on a first axis substantially at right angles to the first plane to exert, on the back face, an axial load on the first axis, to locally deform the deformable membrane. The mirror comprises a plate that is substantially flat in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane, positioned between the actuator and deformable membrane, linked to the back face and deformed when the actuator exerts the axial load, and the plate is rigid in the second plane to take up loads applied to the mirror in the second plane.

Abstract: A nanometer-scale precision actuator comprises a base, an intermediate structure, an output interface, and two linear elements producing a controllable extension in the same longitudinal direction, each between a first and a second end. A first of the two elements has a first end fixed onto the intermediate structure and a second end fixed onto the base, a second of the two elements has a first end fixed onto the intermediate structure and a second end fixed to the output interface. The base and the intermediate structure are positioned in such a manner that the controllable extension of the second element produces a displacement of the actuator in a first direction and the controllable extension of the first element produces a displacement of the actuator in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, with respect to the base.