Kinematic optic mount

A method of adjusting an optical element, the method comprising:

• providing a two-axis mount having first, second, and third rigid elements, connected respectively by first and second sets of flexural elements;
• mounting an optical element to the third rigid element;
• adjusting the third rigid element with respect to the second rigid element, independently from adjustment of the second rigid element with respect to the first rigid element;
• adjusting the second rigid element with respect to the first rigid element, independently from adjustment of the third rigid element with respect to the second rigid element;
• the adjusting of the third and second rigid elements with respect to the second and first rigid elements respectively further comprising adjusting the third rigid element with respect to the second and the second with respect to the first by pivoting along respective axes defined by the first and second sets of flexural elements, the axes being mutually orthogonal to one another.

A method comprising:

• providing a first rigid element of comparatively large section modulus;
• providing a first set of flexural elements extending from the first rigid element to a second rigid element;
• providing the second rigid element of section modulus comparable with that of the first rigid element, and greater than a section modulus of the first set of flexural elements;
• providing a second set of flexural elements of section modulus comparative to that of the first set of flexural elements and below the section modulus of the first and second rigid elements;
• providing a third rigid element of section modulus comparable to that of the first and second rigid elements, and greater than the section modulus effective in flexure of the first and second sets of flexural elements;
• providing the first, second and third rigid elements as a monolithically and homogeneously formed, single material, simultaneously formed as the material of the flexural elements, resulting in a monolithic optical mount having the material extending continuously from the first through the third rigid elements;
• mounting an optical element to the third rigid element;
• and
• adjusting, independently of one another, the position of the third rigid element with respect to the second rigid element, and the position of the second rigid element with respect to the first rigid element.