Patent ID: 7740363

Claim:
A deformable mirror apparatus comprising: a deformable mirror, a mounting body having an aperture in which the deformable mirror is received, and flexible structure extending across the aperture to the mirror, and a deformation device for controllably deforming the mirror, the deformation device acting on the mirror other than through the flexible structure comprising a plurality of flexible beams arranged around the entire periphery of the aperture, the flexible structure having an end shaped to provide a supporting surface supporting the mirror, and a flexible portion linking the supporting surface to the body and permitting movement of an edge of the mirror relative to the body when the mirror is deformed by the deformation device, wherein at least one beam is generally L-shaped such that one leg of the L-shape provides the flexible portion and the other leg of the L-shape provides the supporting surface of the end of the beam, wherein the peripheral edge of the mirror is supported from below by one leg of the L-shaped beam and is supported from the side by the other leg of the L-shaped beam.