Connecting structures comprising heated flexures and optical packages incorporating the same

Abstract

Particular embodiments of the present invention relate generally to connecting structures comprising heated flexures for aligning a first component with a second component. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an optical package includes a laser, a wavelength conversion device, a mirror and a connecting structure. The mirror reflects a laser beam such that the laser beam is incident upon the wavelength conversion device. The connecting structure includes a structure base and three bipod flexures. Each of the bipod flexures includes first and second bipod legs extending from the structure base to the mirror. A heating element is thermally coupled to the first and second bipod legs. The bipod flexures are arranged in a tripod configuration such that changes in the length of the bipod legs alter the reflection of the laser beam from the mirror.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A connecting structure comprising three bipod flexures, a first component and a second component, wherein:
 each of the bipod flexures comprises first and second bipod legs extending from the first component to the second component and a heating element thermally coupled to the first and second bipod legs such that heat generated by the heating element changes the length of the bipod legs; and   the bipod flexures are arranged in a tripod configuration such that changes in the length of the bipod legs of respective ones of the three bipod flexures alter the position of the first component with respect to the second component.   
     
     
         13 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 12  wherein each of the bipod flexures further comprises one or more first mounting tabs coupled to the first component and one or more second mounting tabs coupled to the second component, wherein the first and second bipod legs extend from the one or more first mounting tabs to the one or more second mounting tabs. 
     
     
         14 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the heating element comprises a resistor coupled to a heating element tab thermally coupled to the bipod legs of respective ones of the bipod flexures. 
     
     
         15 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the connecting structure comprises one or more additional bipod flexures and three of the bipod flexures define the tripod configuration. 
     
     
         16 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 12  wherein:
 the three bipod flexures define three 120 degree sectors about an optical axis; and 
 the tripod arrangement of the bipod flexures is such that a selected two of the bipod flexures move the position of the reflected laser beam into a selected one of the three  120  sectors upon activation of the selected two of the bipod flexures. 
 
     
     
         17 . A connecting structure for rigidly connecting a first component to a second component such that no freedom of motion exists between the first and second components, the connecting structure comprising a plurality of connecting structure members having a selectively controllable length configured to produce a change in the position of the first component with respect to the second component upon the application of heat to the plurality of members. 
     
     
         18 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 17  wherein each of the connecting structure members comprises a flexure material extending from the first component to the second component and a heating element thermally coupled to the flexure material such that heat generated by the heating element selectively changes the length of the flexure material. 
     
     
         19 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the flexure material of each of the connecting structure members comprises a triangular sheet coupled to the first and second components, and the heating element comprises a wire configured to generate heat upon the application of current or voltage. 
     
     
         20 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 17  wherein each of the connecting structure members comprises a bipod flexure having first and second bipod legs extending from the first component to the second component and a heating element thermally coupled to the first and second bipod legs such that heat generated by the heating element selectively changes the length of the bipod legs 
     
     
         21 . A connecting structure as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the connecting structure members are arranged asymmetrically about the first and second components.