Patent ID: 7133583

Claim:
A tuning and isolating support device for a tunable fiber optic component, comprising: a) a fiber optic tensioning structure having at least opposing ends configured to rigidly attach to and along a common longitudinal axis with the tunable fiber optic component and formed of an electrically-active, mechanically-responsive material such that changes in dimension along the longitudinal axis arising from a first voltage applied to the tensioning structure yield corresponding dimensional changes in the fiber optic component to provide tunable adjustment of an optical frequency of the tunable fiber optic component; and b) a thermal control structure coupled to the tensioning structure to control temperature of the fiber optic component and provide changes in the optical frequency by adjustment of the temperature, said thermal control structure including: (i) a thermally-conductive, acoustic-damping material configured to minimize environmental vibration effects on the fiber optic component; and (ii) a thermally-controlled surface in thermal contact with the thermally-conductive acoustic-damping material, wherein the thermally-controlled surface varies in temperature and controls the temperature of the fiber optic component so that the fiber optic component optical frequency is tuned at least partially in response to a second applied voltage applied to the thermally-controlled surface.