Capillary-operated stable mesoporous optical system (COSMOS)

We present the current research status of COSMOS (Capillary-Operated Stable Mesoporous Optical System) project, funded by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) as part of the ZENITH program. The system features a unique non-rotating liquid mirror (LM) within a mesoporous structure containing ferrofluid and a thin metallic liquid layer. Capillary forces in the mesoporous structure shape a parabolic surface, and any residual shape departure are corrected by magnetic control from an electromagnetic coil array. The COSMOS system addresses a limitation of liquid mirrors by overcoming their inability to tilt, while also effectively mitigating the Rosensweig instability. In the current work, we present simulation results for ferrofluid displacement with and without porous media, utilizing MATLAB and COMSOL. The results demonstrate local control of the ferrofluid top surface at steady-state through the application of electromagnetic forces, along with the ability to regulate the surface profile during slewing with closed-loop control of a unit cell.