Adaptive Deployable Thin Spherical Shell Reflectors

This paper begins with a quick survey of potential space applications and brief review previous experiments on the shape control spherical shell reflector thin film PVDF-TrFE. Next, problem thermal sensitivity is addressed numerically; it found that, because large expansion active material, surface figure error generated by linear gradient unimorph considerable its correction requires voltages. The accuracy can be greatly improved balanced design (i.e., adding passive layer symmetrical to PVDF-TrFE layer) using low CTE substrate. Finally, considers petal reflector; even more sensitive than full gradient, but turns out better reflector, both from point view