Patent ID: 6814288
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
An athermalized laser assembly comprising:a laser diode; a lens system; a first member for maintaining relative positions of the laser diode and lens system having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and effective length L in a direction of an optical axis of the laser assembly; and a second member having a second, larger coefficent of thermal expansion and an effective length Lp in the direction of the optical axis of the laser assembly, the first and second members together confining a separation between the laser diode and lens system to a desired spacing along the optical axis of the laser assembly, wherein the lengths L and Lp and the thermal coefficients of the first and second members are selected so that the linear expansion of the second member in one direction along the optical axis of the assembly substantially cancels out linear expansion of the first member in the opposite direction along the optical axis of the assembly.