A transducer includes a piezoelectric element that includes a piezoelectric membrane which is interposed between a pair of electrodes, a membrane body that includes a vibration membrane displaceable in a membrane thickness direction, the piezoelectric element being laminated on the vibration membrane, a package that includes an internal space which houses the piezoelectric element and the membrane body, and an abutment pad that is disposed in the internal space and limits displacement of the vibration membrane by abutting the piezoelectric element or the vibration membrane when the vibration membrane is displaced in the membrane thickness direction.

A grating reflector. The grating reflector includes a mesh structure defining a mesh plane and having a thickness normal thereto. The mesh structure includes parallel bars and parallel crossbars, which extend along a direction orthogonal to the bars. The bars and crossbars define a 2D grid of elongated holes, each extending through the mesh structure perpendicular to the mesh plane. The holes are elongated along a direction parallel to the bars and have a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. The 2D grid is defined by a cross-shaped unit cell having a bar section and an intersecting crossbar section. The grating reflector has a reflectivity in a bandwidth around a center wavelength higher than 0.99. A ratio between the unit cell volume and the center wavelength in the mesh material cubed is between 1.35 and 1.55.

A scanning assembly for an optical instrument includes a reflector and a folded-beam spring assembly coupled to the reflector for deflecting the reflector for beam scanning. A lever suspension assembly is coupled to the folded-beam spring assembly and provides torsional movement of the reflector for beam scanning over a two-dimensional region, allowing for large total scan angles and large vertical displacements.

Embodiments of a satellite transceiver configurable for inter-satellite communication and configurable for satellite to ground communication are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the satellite transceiver comprises a micro-electromechanical (MEM) micro-mirror array (MMA) (MEM-MMA) configured to steer a beam of encoded optical data over a field-of-view (FOV). The MEM-MMA comprises a plurality of individual mirror elements. Each of the mirror elements is controllable by control circuitry to steer the beam over the FOV.

MEMS actuator including: a substrate; a first and a second semiconductive layer; a frame including transverse regions formed by the second semiconductive layer, elongated parallel to a first direction and offset along a second direction, the frame being movable parallel to the second direction. The MEMS actuator includes, for each transverse region: corresponding front rotor regions, which are fixed to the transverse region and are suspended above the substrate; a first and a second stator region, which are formed by the first semiconductive layer in such a way that, when the frame is in rest position, the transverse region is laterally offset with respect to the first and the second stator regions and a first front rotor region partially faces the first stator region, and in such a way that, during a translation of the frame along the second direction, the first and/or a second front rotor region at least partially face the second stator region, when the transverse region begins to superimpose on the first stator region.

A MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) actuator includes a substrate, a first electrode structure that is stationary with respect to the substrate, wherein the first electrode structure comprises a plurality of partial electrode structures, each of which comprises an edge structure and can be electrically controlled separately and a second electrode structure with an edge structure, wherein the second electrode structure is deflectably coupled to the substrate by means of a spring structure and electronically deflectable by means of the first electrode structure to move the edge structure of the second electrode structure into a discrete deflection position, wherein the edge structures of the first and second electrode structures are configured to be opposite to each other with respect to a top view and the opposite portions are spaced apart by a lateral distance.

A MEMS device formed using the materials of the BEOL of a CMOS process where a post-processing of vHF and post backing was applied to form the MEMS device and where a total size of the MEMS device is between 50 um and 150 um. The MEMS device may be implemented as an inertial sensor among other applications.

An actuator element of a MEMS device is provided, which is fabricated using surface micromachining on a substrate. An insulating layer having a first portion contacts the substrate while a second portion is separated from the substrate by a gap. A metallic layer contacts the insulating layer having a first portion contacting the first portion of the insulating layer and a second portion contacting the second portion of the insulating layer. The second portion of the metallic layer is prestressed. Alternately, the actuator element includes a first insulating layer separated from the substrate by a gap. A metallic layer has a first portion contacting the substrate and a second portion contacting the insulating layer. A second insulating layer contacts a portion of the second portion of the metallic layer opposite the first insulating layer, where the second insulating layer is prestressed.

A MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) actuator element includes a substrate, a stationary first electrode structure with an edge structure, a second electrode structure with an edge structure, wherein the second electrode structure is deflectably coupled to the substrate by means of a spring structure and electrostatically deflectable by means of the first electrode structure to move the edge structure of the second electrode structure into an intermediate position between a minimum and maximum vertical deflection position, wherein the minimum and maximum deflection position specify a maximum deflection path, wherein the edge structures of the first and second electrode structures are to each other and are vertically spaced apart in the minimum deflection position and wherein, in the maximum deflection position, the vertical immersion path of the edge structure of the second electrode structure into the edge structure of the first electrode structure is up to 0.5 times the maximum deflection path z.sub.Sz.sub.S.

In an optical device, an elastic support unit includes a pair of levers which face in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction, a pair of first torsion support portions which are connected between the levers and the base, a pair of second torsion support portions which are connected between the pair of levers and the movable unit, and a first link member that bridges the levers. The levers and the first link member define a light passage opening. Each of connection positions between the levers and the first torsion support portions is located on a side opposite to the movable unit with respect to the center of the light passage opening in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. A maximum width of the light passage opening in the second direction is defined by a gap between the levers in the second direction.