An actuator includes an arm starting end having a piezoelectric element, a first end of the arm starting end connected to an inner side of a fixed frame, the arm starting end extending in a straight line, along a Y-axis direction through a gap between the fixed frame and a mirror surface, from the first end to beyond a middle point of an outer side of the mirror surface; an arm terminating end including a first end connected to the middle point of the outer side of the mirror surface, the arm terminating end extending parallel to the arm starting end; and an arm relay that connects a second end of the arm starting end to a second end of the arm terminating end, the arm relay being formed in a zigzag.

A driving element includes: a base; a movable part spaced apart from the base in a direction parallel to a rotation axis; a connection part connecting the base and the movable part; a pair of first arm parts extending in a first direction parallel to the rotation axis with the rotation axis located therebetween; a pair of second arm parts extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction, with the rotation axis located therebetween; a coupling part coupling the pair of first arm parts and the pair of second arm parts to the connection part; and a piezoelectric driver disposed on at least either the pair of first arm parts or the pair of second arm parts.

Aspects include piezoelectric acoustic transducers and systems for acoustic transduction. In some aspects, an acoustic transducer is structured with a silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, where the top surface has a first portion and an edge along the first portion associated with an acoustic aperture. The transducer has a first silicon oxide layer disposed over the first portion of the top surface of the silicon substrate, a polysilicon layer disposed over the first silicon oxide layer, and a second silicon oxide layer disposed over the polysilicon layer. A cantilevered beam comprising a fixed end, a deflection end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, has a first portion of the bottom surface at the fixed end disposed over the second silicon oxide layer, where a second portion of the bottom surface at the deflection end is formed over the acoustic aperture. In some aspects. transducer elements are reconfigurable between parallel and serial configurations depending on a system operating mode.

Provided is a low frequency vibrating actuator device including an actuator configured to generate a vibration by receiving a voltage, a spring structure disposed on the actuator, and a vibrating mass part disposed on the spring structure. Here, the spring structure includes a first thin-film, a first spacer disposed between the first thin-film and the actuator, and a second spacer disposed between the first thin-film and the vibrating mass part. Also, the first spacer and the second spacer are horizontally offset from each other.

A multi-axis MEMS assembly includes a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide linear three-axis movement. The micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator includes: an in-plane MEMS actuator, and an out-of-plane MEMS actuator. An optoelectronic device is coupled to the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator. The out-of-plane MEMS actuator includes a multi-morph piezoelectric actuator.

An optical scanning device includes a mirror and a drive beam. The drive beam includes a piezoelectric portion. The piezoelectric portion is partitioned by a plurality of first grooves into a plurality of piezoelectric bodies. The piezoelectric bodies are reduced in length in an X-axis direction as the piezoelectric bodies approach one end side connected to an anchor. The piezoelectric bodies are reduced in length in the X-axis direction as the piezoelectric bodies approach the other end side connected to a link beam.

The MEMS actuator is formed by a body, which surrounds a cavity and by a deformable structure, which is suspended on the cavity and is formed by a movable portion and by a plurality of deformable elements. The deformable elements are arranged consecutively to each other, connect the movable portion to the body and are each subject to a deformation. The MEMS actuator further comprises at least one plurality of actuation structures, which are supported by the deformable elements and are configured to cause a translation of the movable portion greater than the deformation of each deformable element. The actuation structures each have a respective first piezoelectric region.

Aspects include piezoelectric acoustic transducers and systems for acoustic transduction. In some aspects, an acoustic transducer is structured with a silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, where the top surface has a first portion and an edge along the first portion associated with an acoustic aperture. The transducer has a first silicon oxide layer disposed over the first portion of the top surface of the silicon substrate, a polysilicon layer disposed over the first silicon oxide layer, and a second silicon oxide layer disposed over the polysilicon layer. A cantilevered beam comprising a fixed end, a deflection end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, has a first portion of the bottom surface at the fixed end disposed over the second silicon oxide layer, where a second portion of the bottom surface at the deflection end is formed over the acoustic aperture. In some aspects. transducer elements are reconfigurable between parallel and serial configurations depending on a system operating mode.

A movement amplifying actuation device may include two piezoelectric beams, one beam being attached at a fixed point, and a hinge connecting a first beam and a second beam between them. Each hinge may include a first flexible portion connected to the first beam, a second flexible portion connected to the second beam, a first rigid portion connecting the first and second flexible portions, a second rigid portion capable of being positioned against a fixed point, and a third flexible portion connecting the second beam to the second rigid portion at a pivot point of the second beam such that the assembly formed by the second rigid portion and the second beam forms a lever around the pivot point. The flexible and rigid portions may form a single piece.

A light scanning apparatus includes a light source configured to intermittently emit light based on an irradiation timing signal; a mirror configured to reflect the light emitted by the light source; an actuator configured to cause the mirror to be deflected based on drive signals; a sensor configured to output a signal according to deflection of the mirror; an irradiation timing adjusting-unit configured to adjust the irradiation timing signal based on the output signal of the sensor; and an irradiation timing storage configured to store the adjusted irradiation timing signal.