The space camera with variable focal length is capable of capturing images with variable resolution and variable field of view. This is useful for space-borne reconnaissance because the camera can switch between coarse and fine reconnaissance flexibly. However, the traditional optical zooming relies on moving elements which might influence the momentum balance of the satellite platform. Therefore, we present a prototype design using the piezo deformable mirror (PDM) to realize an all-reflective optical bifocal zooming system. By changing the curvature radius of the PDM, the focal length can be switched between 48 and 192 mm without moving elements involved. With the focal length experiencing $4\times$ magnification, the system performance is still approaching diffraction-limited performance, and the maximum stroke of the PDM is also within its physical limits. Experiments demonstrate that the principle is correct and the design is successful.

© 2013 Optical Society of America

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

Related Journal Articles

• Analysis of two-element zoom systems based on variable power lenses (OE)
• Third-order aberrations of the thin refractive tunable-focus lens (OL)
• Generalized refractive tunable-focus lens and its imaging characteristics (OE)
• Analysis of three-element zoom lens based on refractive variable-focus lenses (OE)
• Effect of depth dependent spherical aberrations in 3D structured illumination microscopy (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• Geiger-Mode Quad-Cell Array for Adaptive Optics
• Advanced Imaging for Space Science
• Wavefront Sensing and Control for JWST
• Wide-Field Steerable Adaptive Optics SLO with Dual Deformable Mirrors: Optical Design
• Constructing Human Retinal Capillary Maps from Adaptive Optics SLO Imaging