Patent ID: 6707609
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: G02B,Y10S

Abstract:
An optical filter device comprising:an optical filter having a wavelength characteristic, the optical filter being formed on a substrate composed of a first material having a first selected coefficient of thermal expansion and having a filter face essentially perpendicular to a side of the substrate; an encasement providing a temperature-varying force to the side of the substrate in a plane essentially parallel to the filter face such that the optical filter is exposed for transmission of predetermined optical wavelengths there through, the encasement being composed of a second material having a second selected coefficient of thermal expansion that is different than the first selected coefficient of thermal expansion, the second selected coefficient of thermal expansion being selected to provide a temperature-varying stress to the side of the substrate in the plane essentially parallel to the filter face within an operating temperature range of the optical filter device to compensate for thermal shifts in the wavelength characteristic of the optical filter.