Component mobile device with shape memory alloy brake

Abstract

An assembly mobile device having a shape memory alloy actuator is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may include a housing having a chamber formed therein, at least one nonlinear crystal disposed in the chamber, the nonlinear crystal configured to receive at least one incident signal and convert the wavelength of at least a portion of the incident signal, and at least one shape memory alloy element is configured such that thermal energy or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes linear translation of the nonlinear crystal.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the Chinese national phase application of the PCT application with the application date of December 30, 2015, the international application number of PCT / US2015 / 068076, and the invention name of "Component Mobile Device with Shape Memory Alloy Brake", the application number of which is 201580085636.3, and all the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The disclosure of this patent generally relates to a component moving device, and more particularly to a crystal mover with a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator. Background Art

[0003] Laser systems and devices incorporating nonlinear optical crystals are currently used in a wide variety of applications. For example, nonlinear optical crystals are often used to convert laser light having a first wavelength into laser light having a second wavelength. Due to the limited lifetime of nonlinear crystals, it is often necessary to shift the position of the nonlinear crystal (relative to the incident laser light) to a new position. Typically, an actuator such as a translation stage having a motor (e.g., a stepper motor, a linear motor) is used to move the position of the crystal.

[0004] Although the use of conventional actuators has extended the life of some nonlinear optical crystals, a number of disadvantages have also been identified. For example, many conventional actuators contain organic and / or inorganic materials that may outgas during use of the actuator or over time. Laser-induced outgassing may contaminate the laser cavity, deposit in one or more optical devices in the laser cavity or in adjacent optical components, and / or may impair the performance of the laser system.

[0005] In response, in some applications, the actuator may be placed outside the crystal compartment and / or laser cavity, whereby a mechanical feedthrough may accommodate the interface between the actuator and the crystal. While positioning the actuator outside the crystal compartment and / or laser cavity may reduce or eliminate problems associated with laser-induced outgassing, a number of disadvantages have been demonstrated with this approach. For example, over time, these feedthroughs may leak, thereby allowing undesirable organic and / or inorganic materials to enter the crystal compartment. Additionally, these actuators may be used where space outside the laser system and / or cavity is very limited. Thus, positioning the actuator outside the laser system and / or cavity may be difficult, if not impossible.

[0006] In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for an actuator that allows for controlled movement of an optical crystal positioned thereon while reducing or eliminating outgassing. Summary of the invention

[0007] In one aspect, the present disclosure describes a system comprising: a housing having a chamber formed therein; a nonlinear crystal disposed in the chamber, the nonlinear crystal configured to receive at least one incident signal (e.g., light) and convert the wavelength (and frequency) of at least a portion of the incident signal; and a shape memory alloy element configured such that thermal energy or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes movement of the nonlinear crystal.

[0008] In another aspect, the present disclosure describes a system comprising: a shell defining a first chamber; an inner shell disposed in the first chamber, the inner shell defining a second chamber; a nonlinear crystal disposed in the second chamber, the nonlinear crystal being configured to receive incident light and convert a wavelength of at least a portion of the incident light; a piston disposed between the outer shell and the inner shell to limit movement of the inner shell relative to the outer shell, wherein the piston is configured to actuate to allow movement of the inner shell relative to the outer shell; and a shape memory alloy element in mechanical contact with the inner shell, wherein thermal energy or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes movement of the inner shell.

[0009] On the other hand, the disclosure describes a system comprising: a first speed change device having a housing; one or more first shape memory alloy elements, which are disposed in the housing of the first speed change device; at least one first plunger mechanically connected to the one or more first shape memory alloy elements; and at least one nonlinear crystal disposed on at least one translation stage, wherein the translation stage is configured to be engaged by the first plunger to cause movement of the nonlinear crystal, wherein the nonlinear crystal is configured to receive incident light and convert the wavelength of at least a portion of the incident light.

[0010] These and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood when the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a crystal shifter according to one aspect of the present disclosure shown with a nonlinear crystal.

[0012] Figure 2 is shown using a nonlinear crystal Figure 1 A perspective view of the crystal mover.

[0013] Figure 3 is not shown with nonlinear crystals Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of a crystal shifter.

[0014] Figure 4 is not shown with nonlinear crystals Figure 1 A perspective view of the crystal mover.

[0015] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a crystal mover according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Cross-sectional view of a crystal shifter.

[0017] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a crystal mover according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A perspective view of the crystal mover.

[0019] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a crystal mover according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

[0020] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 A magnified view of the crystal mover's piston.

[0021] Fig.11 is a cross-sectional view showing a crystal shifter according to another aspect of the present disclosure in a first position.

[0022] Fig.12 yes Fig.11 A perspective view of the crystal mover shown in a first position.

[0023] Fig.13 yes Fig.11 A cross section of the crystal mover is shown in a second position.

[0024] Fig.14 yes Fig.11 A perspective view of the crystal mover shown in a second position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, Figure 1-Figure 4As shown in, in one embodiment, the present application discloses a crystal mover or component mover 100 (hereinafter referred to as crystal mover 100), which is configured to controllably support and position at least one optical crystal, component and / or optical element or device. For example, in one embodiment, the crystal mover 100 is configured to support a nonlinear optical crystal, which is configured to convert at least a portion of at least one incident signal (e.g., light (e.g., laser)) of a first wavelength to produce at least one output signal having at least one second wavelength. Other optical materials can be supported and positioned by the crystal mover 100 (e.g., periodically poled materials). In another embodiment, the crystal mover 100 is configured to support and position at least one optical waveguide. In addition, the crystal mover 100 can be configured to support and selectively position any kind of optical component or device, including but not limited to optical lenses, mirrors, gratings, waveguides, attenuators, filters, nonlinear optical materials, optical crystals, beam splitters, bulk optical materials, gain media and devices, detectors, etc.

[0026] Refer again Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown, the crystal mover 100 includes at least one housing, such as a crystal furnace 102 or a temperature control mechanism. As shown, the crystal furnace 102 includes at least a first chamber 104 formed therein, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of chambers 104 may be formed in the crystal furnace 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the crystal furnace 102 has a generally "U"-shaped configuration defined by a first wall 106, a second wall 108, and a groove 110 coupling the first wall 106 to the second wall 108. Alternatively, other configurations and shapes may be used. The crystal furnace 102 may include a second chamber 105 disposed adjacent to the first chamber 104. As shown, the second chamber 105 may be formed in the groove 110 of the crystal furnace 102 and the first chamber 104, and may be defined between the first wall 106 and the second wall 108. In certain aspects, at least one temperature controller 109, such as a thermoelectric cooler (TEC), can be in thermal communication (e.g., direct contact, indirect contact, etc.) with the crystal furnace 102 and / or components disposed within or about the crystal furnace 102. As an example, the temperature controller 109 is shown as being disposed near the first end (bottom) 111 of the crystal furnace 102. Other energy sources (e.g., heat sources) can be included, such as resistive and / or inductive heaters.

[0027] At least one nonlinear crystal 112 can be disposed in the first chamber 104. The nonlinear crystal 112 can convert the wavelength of incident light using, for example, harmonic conversion. As an example, the nonlinear crystal 112 can be configured as a third harmonic generating crystal, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that wavelength conversion can be achieved using any of a variety of techniques. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the nonlinear crystal 112 includes a second harmonic generating crystal, a fourth harmonic generating crystal, or an n+1 harmonic generating crystal. At least one biasing element 113 (e.g., a spring, a return spring, an organic foam material, etc.) can be disposed adjacent to the nonlinear crystal 112 to provide a biasing force to the nonlinear crystal 112. As an example, the biasing element 113 can be disposed between the nonlinear crystal 112 and the first wall 106 to bias the nonlinear crystal 112 toward the second wall 108. Other configurations may also be used.

[0028] At least one shape memory alloy (SMA) element 114 may be disposed adjacent to the nonlinear crystal 112. As shown, the SMA element 114 may be disposed in the second chamber 105. A portion of the SMA element 114 may be adjacent to the nonlinear crystal 112 such that movement of the SMA element 114 may cause movement of the nonlinear crystal 112. The SMA element 114 shown has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. However, other shapes and sizes may be used.

[0029] One or more sensors 116 may be disposed adjacent to a portion of the crystal furnace 102 (e.g., the second wall 108) to measure thermal properties (e.g., temperature) of one or more of the crystal furnace 102, the SMA element 114, and the environment adjacent thereto. As an example, the sensor 116 may be or include a thermistor such as a negative temperature coefficient sensor. However, other sensors and configurations may also be used.

[0030] In operation, voltage (or heat) may be applied to the SMA element 114 to cause it to change shape (e.g., expand, contract, etc.). When the SMA element 114 changes shape, the nonlinear crystal 112 is caused to move. Figure 1-Figure 4 In the example shown, expansion of SMA element 114 causes nonlinear crystal 112 to move away from first end 111 by overcoming friction between biasing element 113 and second wall 108. Control of the expansion of SMA element 114 may allow positional shifting of nonlinear crystal 112 without the need for conventional actuators that outgas organic matter.

[0031] Figure 5-Figure 6Another embodiment of a crystal mover 200 is shown. As shown, the crystal mover 200 includes a housing, such as at least one crystal furnace 202 or a temperature control mechanism. In addition, the crystal furnace 202 includes at least a first chamber 204 formed therein. The crystal furnace 202 has a generally "U" shaped configuration defined by a first wall 206, a second wall 208, and a groove portion 210 coupling the first wall 206 to the second wall 208. Other configurations and shapes may also be used.

[0032] At least one nonlinear crystal 212 may be disposed in the first chamber 204. The nonlinear crystal 212 may be configured to convert incident light of a first wavelength to generate an output signal of at least one second wavelength. As an example, the nonlinear crystal 212 may include a harmonic generating crystal. For example, the nonlinear crystal 212 may include, but is not limited to, a second harmonic generating crystal, a third harmonic generating crystal, a fourth harmonic generating crystal, etc.

[0033] At least one biasing device or member 213, such as a metal sheet material, may be formed around at least a portion of the nonlinear crystal 212 between the nonlinear crystal 212 and the crystal furnace 202. The biasing device 213 may include or be formed of ceramic, glass, inorganic foam material, etc. The biasing device 213 may be configured to provide a biasing force to the nonlinear crystal 212 in one or more predetermined directions. For example, the biasing device 213 may have a portion configured as a spring sheet. As shown, a portion of the biasing device 213 may extend through a portion of the crystal furnace 202 and may extend beyond the periphery of the crystal furnace 202. Other configurations may be used.

[0034] At least one shape memory alloy (SMA) element 214 can be disposed near the crystal furnace 202. As shown, the SMA element 214 can be disposed near the first chamber 204 and can be coupled to a portion of the crystal furnace 202. A portion of the SMA element 214 can be coupled to the biasing device 213 so that movement of the SMA element 214 can cause movement of the biasing device 213 and thereby cause movement of the nonlinear crystal 212 located therein or nearby. The SMA element 214 is shown to have an arcuate shape. However, other shapes and sizes can be used.

[0035] At least one positioning body 215 (e.g., a hollow cylinder, an arcuate body, etc.) can be disposed proximate the first chamber 204 between the SMA element 214 and the groove portion 210 of the crystal furnace 202. As an example, the positioning body 215 can be sized to abut the first wall 206 and the second wall 208 of the crystal furnace 202, and a portion of the cylinder 215 extends into the first chamber 204. The positioning body 215 can be formed of glass, ceramic, or metal. However, other materials can also be used. In some embodiments, the positioning body 215 can be configured to operate as a heater (e.g., a thermal energy source), such as an induction heater or a resistive element.

[0036] In operation, voltage (or heat) can be applied to the SMA element 214 to cause a change in its shape (e.g., straightening, contraction, etc.). When the SMA element 214 changes shape, a force is applied to the biasing device 213 by coupling with the SMA element 214. Since the cylinder 215 is adjacent to the crystal furnace 212, further contraction of the SMA element 214 is biased by the positioning body 215 to cause the force to further translate toward the biasing device 213. In this way, the biasing device 213 can be lifted away from the groove portion 210 of the crystal furnace 202, resulting in a change in the position of the nonlinear crystal 212. Such a lift of the biasing device 213 can be between about 0.5 mm and about 1 mm. However, other configurations and translation distances can also be used.

[0037] Figure 7-Figure 8 The figure shows another embodiment of a crystal mover 300, which includes at least one housing, such as a crystal furnace 302 or a temperature control mechanism formed therein or attached thereto. As shown, the crystal furnace 302 includes at least one first chamber 304 formed therein. The crystal furnace 302 has a generally "U"-shaped configuration defined by a first wall 306, a second wall 308, and a groove portion 310 connecting the first wall 306 to the second wall 308. Other configurations and shapes may be used. The crystal furnace 302 may include a second chamber 305 disposed adjacent to the first chamber 304. As shown, the second chamber 305 is formed in the groove portion 310 of the crystal furnace 302, and the first chamber 304 is defined between the first wall 306 and the second wall 308.

[0038] In certain aspects, at least one furnace cover 307 can be configured to enclose at least a portion of the first chamber 304. As an example, the furnace cover 307 can be coupled to one or more of the first wall 306 and the second wall 308 of the crystal furnace 302. As shown, one or more couplers 318 (e.g., bolts) can extend through the furnace cover 307 and be secured to the crystal furnace 302, such as the second wall 308. As another example, one or more gaskets 320 (e.g., washers, seals, etc.) can be disposed between at least a portion of the coupler 318 and the furnace cover 307.

[0039] At least one nonlinear crystal 312 can be disposed in the first chamber 304. The nonlinear crystal 312 can convert incident light of a first wavelength to generate at least one output signal of at least one second wavelength. As an example, the nonlinear crystal 312 can include a harmonic generating crystal, such as a second harmonic generating crystal, a third harmonic generating crystal, a fourth harmonic generating crystal, a sum frequency crystal, etc. At least one biasing element 313, such as a spring, can be disposed adjacent to the nonlinear crystal 312 to provide a biasing force to the nonlinear crystal 312. As an example, the biasing element 313 can be disposed between the nonlinear crystal 312 and the second wall 308 to bias the nonlinear crystal 312 toward the first wall 306. In some aspects, the biasing element 313 can extend into a cavity 322 formed in a furnace cover 307, which can be aligned with a portion of the first chamber 304, and the furnace cover 307 is coupled to the crystal furnace 302. Other configurations can be used.

[0040] At least one shape memory alloy (SMA) element 314 can be disposed near the nonlinear crystal 312. As shown, the SMA element 314 can be disposed in the second chamber 305. A portion of the SMA element 314 can abut the nonlinear crystal 312, so that movement of the SMA element 314 can cause movement of the nonlinear crystal 312. The SMA element 314 is shown to have a spiral shape and is configured to function as a pressure spring. However, other shapes and sizes can be used. For example, the SMA element 314 can be configured as a spring sheet (e.g., a curved sheet) that biases the nonlinear crystal 312 relative to a biasing element such as a coil spring. In this way, the SMA element 314 can change shape to provide a greater or lesser bias to the coil spring, thereby controlling the position of the nonlinear crystal 312 disposed therebetween.

[0041] In operation, voltage (or heat) may be applied to the SMA element 314 to cause it to change shape (e.g., expand, extend, straighten, etc.). When the SMA element 314 changes shape, it causes the nonlinear crystal 312 to move. Figure 7-Figure 8 In the example shown, expansion of the SMA element 314 causes the nonlinear crystal 312 to move away from the first end (bottom) 311, overcoming friction between the biasing element 313 and the first wall 306. Controlling the expansion of the SMA element 314 can allow the position of the nonlinear crystal 312 to be shifted without the need for conventional actuators that outgas organic matter.

[0042] Figure 9-10The figure shows another embodiment of a crystal mover 400, which includes an outer housing 401 and at least one inner housing 402, such as a crystal furnace or a temperature control mechanism. The inner housing 402 is disposed within the outer housing 401. The inner housing 402 can move within a cavity 405 defined by the outer housing 401. As an example, one or more biasing elements 403 (e.g., tension springs, tensioning devices, etc.) can be coupled between the inner housing 402 and the outer housing 401 to limit the movement of the inner housing 402 relative to the outer housing 401.

[0043] At least one piston 422 can be disposed in the cavity 405 of the outer housing 401 and can be configured to selectively abut the inner housing 402. The piston 422 can include a piston head 424 and a piston body 426. The piston body 426 can be or can include a return spring 427 and can be configured to abut the outer housing 401 to bias the piston head 424 toward the inner housing 402 to limit or inhibit the movement of the inner housing 402. The piston body 426 can also include at least one first shape memory alloy (SMA) element 414. The first SMA element 414 is shown as having a substantially linear shape. However, other shapes and sizes can be used. For example, the first SMA element 414 can be coupled to the housing 401 at one end and coupled to the piston head 424 at the opposite end. By applying a specific voltage to the first SMA element 414, the first SMA element 414 heats, contracts and lifts the piston head 424, thereby allowing the inner housing 402 to move relative to the outer housing 401.

[0044] As shown, the inner housing 402 includes at least one first chamber 404 formed therein. The inner housing 402 has a generally "U"-shaped configuration defined by a first wall 406, a second wall 408, and a slot 410 coupling the first wall 406 to the second wall 408. Other configurations and shapes may be used. In some aspects, an oven cover 407 may be configured to enclose at least a portion of the first chamber 404. As an example, the oven cover 407 may be coupled to one or more of the first wall 406 and the second wall 408 of the inner housing 402.

[0045] At least one nonlinear crystal 412 may be disposed in the first chamber 404. The nonlinear crystal 412 is capable of converting the wavelength of at least a portion of the incident light. As an example, the nonlinear crystal 412 may be configured as a second harmonic generation crystal, a third harmonic generation crystal, a fourth harmonic generation crystal, a sum frequency crystal, etc. At least one biasing element 413, such as a spring, may be disposed adjacent to the nonlinear crystal 412 to provide a biasing force to the nonlinear crystal 412. As an example, the biasing element 413 may be disposed between the nonlinear crystal 412 and the first wall 406 to bias the nonlinear crystal 412 toward the second wall 408. Other configurations may be used.

[0046] The outer surface 415 of the second wall 408 of the inner housing 402 may include one or more sliding members 416 configured to be engaged by one or more tappets 417. As shown, the sliding member 416 has a sawtooth shape. However, other shapes may also be used. The outer surface 415 of the second wall 408 may be disposed adjacent to the inner surface 418 of the outer housing 401 and configured to slidably engage the inner surface 418. The tappet 417 may be disposed adjacent to the sliding member 416, whereby the tappet 417 slidably engages the sliding member 416. The second SMA element 419 may be coupled to the tappet 417 and the outer housing 401. At least one biasing element 420 (e.g., a tension spring) may be coupled to the tappet 417 and the outer housing 401 to provide a bias to the second SMA element 419. By applying a specific voltage to the second SMA element 419, the second SMA element 419 heats, contracts, and moves the tappet 417. The tappet 417 engages the sliding member 416 to move the inner housing 402. By removing the voltage applied to the first SMA element 414, the piston 422 is biased relative to the inner housing 402 to fix the position of the inner housing 402. By removing the voltage applied to the second SMA element 419, the push rod 417 is biased toward the biasing element 420 due to the sawtooth profile of the sliding member 416. By repeating, the inner housing 402 can be moved to other positions. Various combinations of SMA actuators and counter-force springs can be used to provide additional control of the inner housing 402. In addition, as described herein, the inner housing 402 can be configured in a manner similar to the crystal furnace 102, 202, 302.

[0047] Figure 11-Figure 14 Another embodiment of a crystal mover 500 is shown, which includes a first mobile device 501 and at least one second mobile device 502. The first mobile device 501 may include a housing 503 and one or more SMA elements 504 disposed in the housing. The SMA elements 504 may be thermally and electrically isolated from each other by a plurality of plungers 505 (e.g., ceramic plungers) and the housing 503. Other elements such as partitions and thin plates may be used to isolate the SMA elements 504. Such isolation elements may include glass, inorganic materials, and / or other isolation materials. One of the plungers 505 may extend to the outside of the housing 503 and may engage at least one slider 512 to move the slider 512 relative to the substrate 506, whereby the slider 512 and the substrate 506 form at least a portion of a translation stage.

[0048] In operation, one or more of the SMA elements 504 may be heated by an external heater or by applying a specific voltage and current to the SMA elements 504. As an example, the extension distance "x" may be mechanically limited so that the first of the SMA elements 504 moves "x" mm (e.g., 0.5 mm), the second of the SMA elements 504 moves 2x mm (e.g., 1 mm), the third of the SMA elements 504 moves 4x mm (e.g., 2 mm), and so on. As another example, the first mobile device 501 may be configured to move the first SMA element 504 at a 2x mm (e.g., 2 mm) distance for the nth SMA element. (n-1) × mm movement formula is used based on the number "n" of SMA elements 504. All SMA elements 504 can be allowed to move from 0 mm to (2 n -1) × mm2 n steps, where n is the number of actuators and x is the step size (eg, from 0 mm to 7.5 mm in 0.5 mm steps). Other configurations may also be used.

[0049] The second mobile device 502 may include a housing 507 and one or more SMA elements 508 disposed in the housing. The SMA elements 508 may be thermally and electrically isolated from the base of the housing 507 and from each other by a plurality of plungers 509 (e.g., ceramic plungers). Other elements such as spacers and thin plates may be used to isolate the SMA elements 508. One of the plungers 509 may extend outside the housing 507 and may engage a slider 512 to cause movement of the slider 512 relative to the substrate 506, reacting to the movement caused by the plunger 505 of the first mobile device 501.

[0050] In operation, one or more of the SMA elements 508 may be heated by an external heater or by applying a specific voltage and current to the SMA elements 508. As an example, the extension distance "x" may be mechanically limited so that the first of the SMA elements 508 moves "x" mm (e.g., 0.5 mm), the second of the SMA elements 508 moves 2x mm (e.g., 1 mm), the third of the SMA elements 508 moves 4x mm (e.g., 2 mm), and so on. As another example, the second mobile device 502 may be configured to move at 2 (n-1) The movement formula of × mm is based on the number "n" of SMA elements 508. All SMA elements 508 can move from 0 mm to (2 n-1)×mm, where n is the number of actuators and x is the step size (e.g., from 0 mm to 7.5 mm in 0.5 mm steps). As an example, the mobile device 501 sets the position from 0.5 mm to 7.5 mm in 0.5 mm steps, and the mobile device 502 can be configured to set the 0 mm position (zeroing) from any position. However, other configurations may also be used. In this way, the SMA elements 504, 508 can be selectively actuated to control the step-type shifting in a bidirectional manner. Other configurations may also be used. In addition, the plungers 505, 509 can be configured to engage a slider 512 having an optical element disposed therein. In this way, movement of the slider 512 causes movement of an optical element such as a nonlinear crystal. As another example, the optical element disposed on the slider 512 can be or include one or more crystal movers similar to the crystal movers 100, 200, 300 to facilitate two-dimensional crystal movement.

[0051] Industrial Applicability

[0052] The present disclosure is applicable to laser systems that use optical elements (e.g., nonlinear crystals) to cause wavelength conversion (frequency conversion) of at least a portion of laser light. Specifically, the crystal movers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 disclosed herein can be used to support and position one or more optical elements. Specifically, the crystal movers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 disclosed herein can include an SMA actuator that includes an inorganic non-outgassing material and can therefore be used close to the nonlinear crystal. SMA brakes are powerful brakes that apply strong force and require little space. SMA brakes can be heated by an external heat source or by applying voltage and current to the SMA element of the brake. In addition, crystal movers using SMA brakes are low cost. Although the term "crystal mover" is used herein to refer to various moving devices, it should be understood that other optical elements can be supported and positioned in the same manner. Such optical elements may include optical materials (e.g., crystals, periodically poled materials (e.g., periodically poled lithium niobate)) and / or optical components, or devices, including but not limited to waveguides, optical lenses, mirrors, gratings, waveguides, attenuators, filters, nonlinear optical materials, optical crystals, beam splitters, bulk optical materials, gain media and devices, detectors, etc.

[0053] It should be understood that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed systems and techniques. However, other embodiments of the present disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples as contemplated. All references to the present disclosure or its examples are intended to reference the specific examples discussed herein, and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the present disclosure more generally. All distinctions and derogatory language regarding certain features are intended to indicate a lack of preference for these features, but unless otherwise indicated, cannot be completely excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0054] Recitation of ranges of values ​​herein, unless otherwise indicated herein, is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A component moving system, comprising: a housing having a chamber formed therein; at least one optical element disposed in the chamber, the optical element configured to receive at least one incident signal and convert a wavelength of at least a portion of the incident signal; and At least one shape memory alloy element is configured such that thermal energy or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes linear translation of the optical element.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The housing is a crystal furnace configured to control the thermal environment of the optical element.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The shape memory alloy element has a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a spiral shape.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one biasing element disposed between the optical element and a wall defining at least a portion of the chamber. 5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to measure a temperature in or near the chamber.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one biasing device disposed between the optical element and a portion of the housing, wherein: The biasing device is coupled to the shape memory alloy element to achieve a mechanical connection between the shape memory alloy element and the optical element.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a positioning body disposed near the chamber, wherein: The shape memory alloy element abuts a portion of the positioning body.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a furnace cover configured to enclose at least a portion of the chamber.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The shape memory alloy element is disposed in a second cavity formed in the housing.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The chamber is free of outgassing material.

11. A component moving system, comprising: a first mobile device having a housing; One or more first shape memory alloy elements, disposed in a housing of the first mobile device; at least one first plunger mechanically coupled to the one or more first shape memory alloy elements; as well as At least one nonlinear crystal is disposed on at least one translation stage, wherein the translation stage is configured to be engaged by the first plunger to linearly translate the nonlinear crystal, wherein the nonlinear crystal is configured to receive incident light and convert the wavelength of at least a portion of the incident light.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The one or more first shape memory alloy elements are thermally and electrically insulated from a housing of the first mobile device.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The plunger is made of ceramic.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a second mobile device having a housing; one or more second shape memory alloy elements disposed in a housing of the second mobile device; A second plunger is in mechanical contact with the one or more second shape memory alloy elements, wherein the second plunger is configured to engage the translation stage.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein: The first plunger is configured to move in an opposite direction to the second plunger.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein: The one or more first shape memory alloy elements are free of outgassing material.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein: The one or more first shape memory alloy elements and the one or more second shape memory alloy elements are free of outgassing material.

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