Methods and devices for active vibration damping of an optical structure

Abstract

A vibration damper assembly that may be attached and moved about a payload or optical mount surface of an optical structure such as an optical table. The vibration damper assembly may include a sensor and an actuator that may be disposed within a housing. In some embodiments, the vibration damper assembly or components thereof may be incorporated into an optical structure in the form of an optical component to be disposed or mounted on an optical mount surface of an optical structure such as an optical table. Embodiments of the vibration damper system may include a controller in communication with the damper assembly Embodiments of the controller may use adaptive tuning, auto-ranging selection of gain factors and other features in order to optimize damping performance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A moveable vibration damper assembly with active vibration damping, comprising:
 an optical post mount,   a mount plate secured to the optical post mount and configured to be mounted to an optical mount surface, and   an actuator including an active element coupled to a mass and a flexure mechanically coupled to the body portion.   
     
     
         2 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a vibration sensor mechanically coupled to the optical post mount. 
     
     
         3 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 2  wherein the vibration sensor and actuator are disposed within a single housing. 
     
     
         4 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 2  further comprising a controller in communication with the actuator and the vibration sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an optic mount device secured to the optical post mount and configured to receive an optic. 
     
     
         6 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 5  wherein the optic mount device is configured to receive a lens. 
     
     
         7 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 4  wherein the optical post mount comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 4  wherein the optical post mount comprises glass filled polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The moveable vibration damper assembly of  claim 1  wherein the mount plate comprises apertures configured to mate with threaded apertures of a desired optical mount surface.