A scanning device includes a planar scanning mirror disposed within a frame and having a reflective upper surface. A pair of flexures have respective first ends connected to the frame and respective second ends connected to the mirror at opposing ends of a rotational axis of the mirror. A rotor including a permanent magnet is disposed on the lower surface of the mirror. A stator includes first and second cores disposed in proximity to the rotor on opposing first and second sides of the rotational axis and first and second coils of wire wound respectively on the cores. A drive circuit drives the first and second coils with respective electrical currents including a first component selected so as to control a transverse displacement of the mirror and a second component selected so as to control a rotation of the mirror about the rotational axis.

The present disclosure describes an image forming element having a semiconductor chip with micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) devices and voltage generators, each voltage generator being configured to generate a voltage used by one or more of the MEMS devices. A floating ground may be used to add a voltage to the voltage generated by the voltage generators. The semiconductor chip may include electrical connections, where each voltage generator is configured to provide the voltage to the one or more MEMS devices through the electrical connections. The MEMS devices may define a boundary in the semiconductor chip within which the MEMS devices, the voltage generators, and the electrical connections are located. Each MEMS device may generate an electrostatic field to manipulate an electron beamlet of a multi-beam charged particle microscope. The MEMS devices may be organized into groups based on a distance to a reference location (e.g., optical axis) in the semiconductor chip.

An optical module includes a support layer, a device layer which is provided on the support layer, and a movable mirror which is mounted in the device layer. The device layer has a mounting region which is penetrated by the movable mirror, and a driving region which is connected to the mounting region. A space corresponding to at least the mounting region and the driving region is formed between the support layer and the device layer. A portion of the movable mirror is positioned in the space.

A vibrating element includes a movable part, a substrate made of metal, a driving source, and a holding member holding the substrate. The substrate includes a pair of support beam parts, a support part, and a torsion beam part. Each of the support beam parts has a first end part and a second end part. The support part supports the first end part. The torsion beam part swingably supports the movable part. The second end part of each of the support beam parts is provided with a fixing part fixed to the holding member. By adjusting an inclination with respect to the holding member, the fixing part is fixed to the holding member in a state in which each of the support beam parts applies tension to the torsion beam part in a direction away from the movable part in a first direction in which the torsion beam part extends.

Provided is a vibrating mirror element including: a mirror part; a substrate made of metal, including a pair of beams, a support supporting each of the pair of beams, and a torsion part swingably supporting the mirror part; a driving source generating a plate wave that swings the mirror part; and a vibration suppression part suppressing vibration transmitted to the pair of beams. The vibration suppression part is configured to suppress the vibration transmitted to the pair of beams by abutting against the pair of beams at a position between a second mirror end among ends of the mirror part that is opposite a first mirror end near the support and the torsion part in a first direction in which the pair of beams extends.

A micromechanical component having a mount, an adjustable element, which is connected via at least one spring to the mount, and an actuator device, a first oscillatory motion of the adjustable element about a first axis of rotation and simultaneously a second oscillatory motion of the adjustable element, which is set into the first oscillatory motion, being excitable about a second axis of rotation in response to the actuator device; and the adjustable element being configured by the at least one spring to be adjustable on the mount in such a way that the adjustable element is adjustable by a resulting angular momentum about a rotational axis, which is oriented orthogonally to the first axis of rotation and orthogonally to second axis of rotation. Also, a method for manufacturing a micromechanical component. Moreover, a method for exciting a motion of an adjustable element about a rotational axis.

The present disclosure describes an image forming element having a semiconductor chip with micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) devices and voltage generators, each voltage generator being configured to generate a voltage used by one or more of the MEMS devices. A floating ground may be used to add a voltage to the voltage generated by the voltage generators. The semiconductor chip may include electrical connections, where each voltage generator is configured to provide the voltage to the one or more MEMS devices through the electrical connections. The MEMS devices may define a boundary in the semiconductor chip within which the MEMS devices, the voltage generators, and the electrical connections are located. Each MEMS device may generate an electrostatic field to manipulate an electron beamlet of a multi-beam charged particle microscope. The MEMS devices may be organized into groups based on a distance to a reference location (e.g., optical axis) in the semiconductor chip.

A micromirror assembly is described as including a spring-mounted mirror and at least one stop unit, which is designed to restrict a movement of the mirror in the event of a movement of the mirror in a predefined direction out of its idle position. Furthermore, the invention relates to a projection device.

A method for activating a deflectable micromechanical actuator unit, in particular a micromirror. A periodic setpoint deflection profile of a deflection of the actuator unit is predefined at a predefined period duration. The actuator unit is periodically activated based on an activation signal according to the predefined period duration. A deflection profile of the deflection of the actuator unit is measured during at least one activation period. The activation signal is adapted for at least one of the following activation periods based on the setpoint deflection profile and on the measured deflection profile.

A silicon-on-sapphire chip with minimal thermal strain preload is provided. The chip includes a sapphire substrate having a first-sapphire surface and an opposing second-sapphire surface; and a silicon layer overlaying the first-sapphire surface. The silicon layer is formed by: creating a plurality of buried cavities in a plane within tens of microns from a first-silicon surface of a silicon wafer; laser fusing the first-silicon surface to the first-sapphire surface at room temperature to attach the silicon wafer to a sapphire wafer; and cleaving the silicon wafer along the plane including the plurality of buried cavities. A silicon-wafer layer is formed from the silicon material between the first-silicon surface and the plane of the plurality of buried cavities. The silicon-wafer layer and the sapphire wafer form a silicon-on-sapphire wafer. The silicon-on-sapphire chip is formed by dicing the silicon-on-sapphire wafer.