Compact, passively athermalized optical assembly.

摘要

An optical assembly comprises a light beam source, a collimating lens, and a passive thermally-compensated structure. Concentric rings of dissimilar material are supported by a baseplate and arranged to support a flexure plate at a predetermined distance above the baseplate. The collimating lens is mounted on the flexure plate. A difference in the thermal coefficient of expansion of the rings is chosen so that the flexure plate moves to compensate for thermal shifts in system focal length, while maintaining radial and angular alignment of the lens relative to the laser diode source, so as to provide controlled axial movement of the collimating lens. <IMAGE>