Effects of Panel Misalignment in a Deployable Origami-Based Optical Array

Abstract Deployable origami-based arrays can offer many benefits for a wide variety of engineering applications. However, alignment in the deployed state is a primary challenge of these arrays; in optical systems, local (single panel) and global (entire array) misalignment can drastically reduce performance. The objective of this work is to compare the relative sensitivities of different degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) of misalignment in deployable origami-based optical arrays and specify which have the greatest effect on performance. To accomplish this, we suggest a practice for defining local and global misalignment in deployable origami-based arrays, we simulate misalignment perturbations and record the resulting power output, and we use compensation techniques to restore as much lost power as possible. We use a deployable LiDAR telescope based on the hexagonal twist origami pattern as a case study, though the conclusions could be extended to other origami-based systems. From simulation, we find that the DOFs which are the most sensitive to misalignment and for which compensation is not effective are the local decenter X (467% power loss per mm misalignment), local decenter Y (463% power loss per mm misalignment), local tilt (357% power loss per degree misalignment), and local tip (265% power loss per degree misalignment) misalignments. These results could help minimize the need for compensation or position sensing and help optical systems designers to know which DOFs should be carefully controlled to maximize energy output.