Long Stroke Wavefront Correctors for Retinal Imaging

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案描述了开发适用于商业眼科自适应光学系统的长行程MEMS可变形镜的计划。它们将被设计为允许至少90%的人群通过散瞳进行衍射限制视网膜成像。第一阶段研究中展示的静电致动器设计和制造工艺将用作这些MEMS-DM的基础，这些MEMS-DM将使用硅晶片批量制造。根据先前的研究，估计眼睛像差的补偿将需要高达12 μ m的波前补偿（在MEMS-DM校正之前补偿焦点和散光）。由于反射镜变形在波前中通过反射加倍，这将需要DM在每个致动器处具有至少6 μ m的行程。第二个目标将是证明衍射限制视网膜成像在人类受试者拥有的光学像差的眼睛，包括超过90%的范围内发现的人口。长行程MEMS可变形镜将与第一阶段中展示的光学倍增器相结合，以实现12 μ m的有效可变形镜运动，对应于24 μ m的波前校正，并将集成到经过验证的自适应光学扫描激光检眼镜设计中。将光学倍增器添加到系统将允许可变形反射镜校正低阶（光学）像差。这种大行程与Badal视力计设计相结合，将消除对每个受试者眼睛使用矫正镜片的需要，并允许前所未有的人类视网膜体内成像。由于限制成像分辨率的眼像差，研究人员和临床医生无法看到人类视网膜中的关键特征。该项目的成功完成将为人类视网膜的成像提供比以往任何时候都更好的分辨率。这种图像质量的提高将使临床医生能够检测和诊断糖尿病视网膜病变和黄斑变性，以及确定药物研究中药物的疗效。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal describes a plan to develop long stroke MEMS deformable mirrors suitable for use in commercial ophthalmic adaptive optics. They will be designed to permit diffraction-limited retinal imaging through dilated pupils in at least 90% of the human population. Electrostatic actuator design and manufacturing processes demonstrated in Phase I research will be used as a foundation for these MEMS-DMs, which will be produced using silicon wafer batch-manufacturing. Based on prior research, it is estimated compensation of aberrations of the eye will require up to 12¿m of wavefront compensation (with focus and astigmatism compensated before MEMS-DM correction). Because mirror deformation is doubled in the wavefront by reflection, this will require a DM with at least 6¿m of stroke at each actuator. A second goal will be to demonstrate diffraction-limited retinal imaging in human subjects possessing optical aberrations of the eye that encompasses more than 90% of the range found in the population. The long-stroke MEMS deformable mirror will be combined with the optical doubler demonstrated in the Phase I effort to achieve an effective deformable mirror motion of 12¿m, corresponding to 24¿m of wavefront correction, and will be integrated into a proven adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope design. Adding the optical doubler to the system will allow for the deformable mirror to correct for low order (astigmatic) aberrations. This large stroke, combined with a Badal optometer design, will eliminate the need to use corrective lenses for each subject eye and allow unprecedented in vivo imaging of the human retina. Researchers and clinicians have been unable to see critical features in the human retina due to ocular aberrations that limited imaging resolution. A successful completion of the proposed project will provide the enabling component for better resolution imaging of the human retina than ever before. This improvement in image quality will allow clinicians to detect and diagnose diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration as well as to determine the efficacy of drugs in drug studies.