Polymer-free compliant optical member support

A compliant optical element mount assembly comprising:

• an optical element;
• a mount defining a retainer opening;
• one or more flexible members each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a retainer disposed in the retainer opening and connected to the mount via a first bond;
• a first gap between the retainer and the retainer opening, wherein the retainer has an outer shape substantially similar to an inner shape of the retainer opening, and wherein the first bond is provided in the first gap;
• a second gap between the second end of each of the one or more flexible members and the optical element;
• and
• a second bond comprising a polymer free bonding agent provided in the second gap to form a hydroxide-catalyzed bond for binding the optical element to the second end of each of the one or more flexible members.

A method of connecting an optical element to a mount, comprising:

• providing a mount;
• aligning an optical element with one or more flexible members each having first and second ends such that a gap exists between the optical element and the second end of each of the one or more flexible members;
• bonding the second end of each of the one or more flexible members to the optical element with a polymer free bonding agent applied within the gap by applying the polymer free bonding agent to form a hydroxide-catalyzed bond in the gap to bond the optical element to the one or more flexible members;
• and
• connecting the one or more flexible members to the mount by binding the first end of each of the one or more flexible members to the mount with a potting compound, wherein the first end is connected to the mount solely by the potting compound.