Heat actuated steering mount for maintaining frequency alignment in wavelength selective components for optical telecommunications
US7016594B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 9, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 9, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B7/1815
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A simple and robust heat actuated steering device for use with mirrors and other optical components of optical telecommunications equipment is described, together with systems which implement such devices. The device uses differential heating between two legs of a flexured mount to allow tilting that can be used to steer an optical beam. Disturbances in the optical alignment, caused by temperature changes, of an optical device containing this component can be compensated by measuring the device temperature and using this to determine a command signal, for example as provided through a lookup table, to correct for device misalignment. Techniques for calibrating the device and establishing the correction data are also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.