Optical imaging arrangement with a piezoelectric device

An optical imaging arrangement, comprising:

• an optical element unit;
• and
• an actuator device connected to the optical element unit, the actuator device being configured to be connected to a support structure to support the optical unit,
• wherein:
• the actuator device is configured to actively adjust, in an adjustment state, a position and/or an orientation of the optical unit with respect to the support structure in N degrees of freedom;
• the actuator device comprises an active first actuator component and an active second actuator component;
• the first actuator component is configured to act on the optical element unit at a first location to generate a first excursion of the optical element unit in a first degree of freedom of the N degrees of freedom;
• the second actuator component is configured to act on the optical element unit at a second location to generate a second excursion of the optical element unit in a second degree of freedom of the N degrees of freedom;
• the second location is located at a distance from the first location;
• the second degree of freedom is different from the first degree of freedom;
• the second actuator component, at the first excursion, undergoes an elastic deflection generating a parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit at the second location;
• the actuator device comprises a third actuator component which is configured to act on the optical element unit at the second location;
• and
• the third actuator component is configured to at least partially compensate, in a parasitic residual load compensation state, the parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit.

A method of supporting an optical element unit, wherein:

• an actuator device is connected to the optical element unit and to a support structure for supporting the optical unit;
• in an adjustment step, the actuator device actively adjusts a position and/or an orientation of the optical unit with respect to the support structure in N degrees of freedom;
• the actuator device, in at least one of the N degrees of freedom, supports the optical element unit in a statically overdetermined manner via a plurality of active first and second actuator components such that, in a holding step following the adjustment step, the first and second actuator components cause a parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit in the at least one of the N degrees of freedom;
• an active third actuator component of the actuator device, in a parasitic residual load compensation step, at least partially compensates the parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit in the at least one of the N degrees of freedom;
• an active first actuator component of the plurality of first and second actuator components acts on the optical element unit at a first location to generate a first excursion of the optical element unit in at least one first degree of freedom of the N degrees of freedom;
• an active second actuator component of the plurality of first and second actuator components acts on the optical element unit at a second location to generate a motion of the optical element unit in at least one second degree of freedom of the N degrees of freedom, the second location being located at a distance from the first location and the second degree of freedom being different from the first degree of freedom;
• the second actuator component, at the first excursion, undergoes an elastic deflection generating the parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit at the second location;
• and
• the third actuator component acts on the optical element unit at the second location to at least partially compensate the parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit.

A method of supporting an optical element unit, wherein:

• an actuator device is connected to the optical element unit and to a support structure for supporting the optical unit;
• the actuator device, in an adjustment step, actively adjusts a position and/or an orientation of the optical unit with respect to the support structure in N degrees of freedom;
• a first actuator component of the actuator device acts on the optical element unit at a first location to generate a first excursion of the optical element unit in a first degree of freedom of the N degrees of freedom;
• a second actuator component of the actuator device acts on the optical element unit at a second location to generate a second excursion of the optical element unit in a second degree of freedom of the N degrees of freedom;
• the second location is located at a distance from the first location;
• the second degree of freedom is different from the first degree of freedom;
• the second actuator component, at the first excursion, undergoes an elastic deflection generating a parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit at the second location;
• and
• a third actuator component of the actuator device acts on the optical element unit at the second location to at least partially compensate, in a parasitic residual load compensation step, the parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit.