Modeling and simulation of Capillary-Operated Space Mesoporous Optical System (COSMOS)

We present the current research status of the COSMOS (Capillary-Operated Space Mesoporous Optical System) project, funded by DARPA. The system includes a unique non-rotating liquid mirror within a mesoporous structure with ferrofluid and a thin metallic liquid layer. Capillary forces in the mesoporous structure shape a paraboloidal surface, and any residual shape departure are corrected by magnetic control from an electromagnetic coil array. Our simulations using MATLAB and COMSOL demonstrate control of the meniscus and slew rate within a N-by-N unit cell (1 unit cell is a capillary or a pore). Expanding on these findings, full-scale simulations highlight the system's ability to achieve the desired tilt, locally control the fluid surface, and manage wavefront control.