A highly reliable micromachine, display element, or the like is provided. As a micromachine or a transistor including the micromachine, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a semiconductor layer where a channel is formed is used. For example, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is used as at least one transistor in one or a plurality of transistors driving a micromachine.

A piezoelectric actuator including an anchor, an elastic layer having a first end coupled to the anchor, and a piezoelectric layer on the elastic layer. The elastic layer includes a solid sublayer including an elastic material and a second sublayer including a plurality of cavities. The piezoelectric layer is on the second sublayer of the elastic layer and includes a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and a piezoelectric material layer between the top electrode and the bottom electrode.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an MEMS actuator with a substrate, at least one post attached to the substrate and a deflectable actuator body that is connected to the at least one post via at least one spring, wherein, during electrostatic, electromagnetic or magnetic force application, the actuator body takes a second position starting from a first position by a tilt-free translational movement, wherein the first position and the second position are different, and wherein in a top view of the MEMS actuator the actuator body is arranged outside an area spanned by the at least one post.

An optical device formed of a mirror wafer, a cap wafer, and a glass wafer. The mirror wafer includes a first layer of electrically conductive material, a second layer of electrically conductive material, and a third layer of electrically insulating material between the first layer and the second layer. A mirror element is formed of the second layer of the mirror wafer, and has a reflective surface in the bottom of a cavity opened into at least the first layer. A good optical quality planar glass wafer can be used to enclose the mirror element when the mirror wafer, cap wafer, and glass wafer are bonded to each other.

An electrooptical device includes a first metal layer disposed spaced apart from a first surface of a substrate and including a mirror, which modulates light, and a mirror support post, which has a tubular shape and protrudes from the mirror toward the substrate. The first metal layer is formed by forming a metal layer on a surface of a sacrificial layer having an opening, patterning the metal layer, and removing the sacrificial layer. Thus, the mirror support post is formed so as to extend over the inner wall of the opening. Here, the mirror support post has a thickness of not less than 1.5 times the length of the mirror support post.

Embodiments of multi-frequency excitation are described. In various embodiments, a natural frequency of a device may be determined. In turn, a first voltage amplitude and first fixed frequency of a first source of excitation can be selected for the device based on the natural frequency. Additionally, a second voltage amplitude of a second source of excitation can be selected for the device, and the first and second sources of excitation can be applied to the device. After applying the first and second sources of excitation, a frequency of the second source of excitation can be swept. Using the methods of multi-frequency excitation described herein, new operating frequencies, operating frequency ranges, resonance frequencies, resonance frequency ranges, and/or resonance responses can be achieved for devices and systems.

A MEMS micro-mirror device includes a middle substrate, a movable structure, at least one stopper coupled with the movable structure, at least one flexure, an upper cap, and a lower cap. The movable structure includes a micro-mirror plate having a reflective surface. The flexure connects the stopper and the middle substrate. The upper cap, bonded with the middle substrate, has a first opening for allowing the movable structure's movement and has at least one first recess facing a first side of the flexure and a first side of the stopper. The lower cap, bonded with the middle substrate, has a second opening for allowing space for the movement and has at least one second recess facing a second side of the flexure and a second side of the stopper.

An actuator device includes: a support portion; a movable portion; a first connection portion connecting the movable portion to the support portion on a first axis so that the movable portion is swingable around the first axis; and a first wiring provided on the first connection portion. The first wiring includes a first main body formed of a metal material having a Vickers hardness of 50 HV or more. The first main body includes a first surface facing the first connection portion and a second surface other than the first surface. The second surface has a shape in which a curvature is continuous over the entire second surface in a cross-section perpendicular to an extension direction of the first wiring.

In an electro-optic device, a chip provided with a mirror and a drive element adapted to drive the mirror, a cover having a light-transmitting property and adapted to cover the mirror in a planar view, and a spacer located between the cover and the chip are disposed on an interconnection board. Further, a boundary between the cover and the spacer, a boundary between the chip and the spacer, and a part of the interconnection board are covered with an inorganic film such as an aluminum oxide film. The inorganic film also covers a part of a chip-side terminal and an internal terminal, and a conductive member.

An example apparatus for produce magnetic fields includes a base plate comprising a plurality of grooves. The apparatus includes an MEMS device disposed on the base plate. The apparatus further includes a number of magnets to produce one or more magnetic fields disposed on the plurality of grooves and adjacent to the MEMS device.