Towards a spatial light modulator technology for space applications

Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) technologies are well established in many application fields over the last decades. Addressing challenging operational conditions, a special class of high-speed SLMs has emerged over the past 20 years, namely Micromirror Array (MMA) devices. Fraunhofer IPMS MMA technology has enabled several ultraviolet photolithography applications at industrial scale. Given the fact that these devices are available for scientific testing, we proposed to explore for the first time their functionality and performance with respect to the space application requirements for the European framework cooperation. Previous studies strongly support this approach with the investigation of several SLM technologies for space instrumentation. In this study, the key parameters of an already available 256 x 256 pixel MMA device have been assessed and its performance has been evaluated under environmental constraints of a future space mission, in terms of temperature (from -40 °C to 80 °C), vacuum (< 10-5 mbar) and vibrations in X-, Y- and Z-axes, showing zero failure rate for the MMA device after all tests. These experimental findings, together with simulations results, confirm the robustness of the MMA technology, especially against temperature changes, and encourage further activities for the development of a space-customized spatial light modulator technology.