A resonator is provided that includes a vibrating section that vibrates in a contour vibration mode, a frame that surrounds at least a portion of the vibrating section, supporting sections extending along a Y-axis direction and connecting the vibrating section and the frame. The vibrating section includes a through hole that extends along an X-axis direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction such that a coupling section is disposed between the through hole and each of the supporting sections. The length SL of the through hole in the X-axis direction is longer than the length Sd of the coupling section in the Y-axis direction.

An inertial sensor includes a movable element including a first movable section and a second movable section, a first detection electrode, and a first dummy electrode. The first movable section has a first section, a second section that is farther from the swing axis than the first section, and a third section disposed between the first section and second section. A separation distance between the third section and the first dummy electrode is greater than a separation distance between the first section and the first detection electrode.

A microelectromechanical system with at least one partly mobile mass element which is suspended from a fixed support by one or more suspension units. Each suspension unit comprises first springs which extend from the fixed support to the partly mobile mass element, and second springs which also extend from the fixed support to the partly mobile mass element. Each second spring is substantially parallel and adjacent to one first spring. The first springs are electrically isolated from the second springs, and the microelectromechanical system comprises a voltage source configured to apply a frequency tuning voltage between the one or more first springs and the one or more second springs.

The present invention relates to a MEMS device and related methods comprising a mirror for the measuring of light frequency. The MEMS mirror may rotate around a pivot point and is driven by a periodic force for continuous bi-directional motion without transient vibrations. The periodic force may further comprise transient functions comprising special waveforms when at the turn-around point of the bi-directional rotation.

An light deflection device includes an light deflector having first and second piezoelectric actuators which cause a mirror unit to reciprocatingly turn around a resonant axis and a non-resonant axis, respectively, a drive unit which supplies first and second drive voltages, a swing angle fluctuation width detection unit which detects a first swing angle fluctuation width of the mirror unit around the resonant axis, a sensitivity equivalent value detection unit which detects a sensitivity equivalent value on the basis of a detected value of a second drive voltage fluctuation width and a detected value of the first swing angle fluctuation width, and a determination unit which determines whether a non-resonant axis side swing state of the mirror unit around the non-resonant axis is normal on the basis of a detected value of the sensitivity equivalent value.

Microelectromechanical sensor comprising a fixed part and a mobile part suspended from the fixed part such that the mobile part can move at least in an out-of-plane displacement direction, the fixed part comprising at least first electrodes extending parallel to the displacement direction of the mobile part, the mobile part comprising a seismic mass and at least second electrodes extending parallel to the out-of-plane displacement direction, the first electrodes and the second electrodes being located relative to each other so as to be interdigitated, in which the second electrodes are directly connected to the inertial mass and only part of the face of each mobile electrode is facing an electrode fixed at rest.

An actuator device includes a support portion; a first movable portion; a second movable portion; a first connection portion that connects the first and second movable portions such that the first movable portion is swingable around a first axis; a second connection portion that connects the second movable portion and the support portion such that the first movable portion is swingable around the first axis. Two natural angular frequencies ω.sub.1 and ω.sub.2 (where ω.sub.1<ω.sub.2) for vibration of the first and second movable portions around the first axis satisfy one of the following equation (1) and equation (2) and do not satisfy the other,

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}\left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]& \\ 0<1-{\left(\frac{{\omega }_1}{{\omega }_{\mathrm{ii}}}\right)}^2\le 0.2& \left(1\right)\\ \left[\mathrm{Equation}2\right]& \\ 0<{\left(\frac{{\omega }_2}{{\omega }_{\mathrm{ii}}}\right)}^2-1\le 0.2& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

In the above equations, ω.sub.ii=(k.sub.i/j.sub.i).sup.1/2, k.sub.i is a torsional spring constant of the first connection portion around the first axis, and j.sub.i is an inertia moment of the first movable portion around the first axis.

A resonant structure comprising at least two coaxial rings, wherein adjacent coaxial rings have adjacent peripheries and are attached together by a plurality of connection structures regularly arranged along said adjacent peripheries; and wherein a first ring has a first ring portion with a first radial thickness and a second ring, portion, in a vicinity of a first connection structure, with a second radial thickness smaller than said first radial thickness.

A lever is used to rotate a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirror. The lever can be used to provide more torque from a vertical comb drive. The MEMS mirror can be part of an array of micro mirrors used for beam steering a laser in a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system for an autonomous vehicle.

A method for manufacturing an optical device includes: preparing a semiconductor substrate that includes a portion corresponding to a base, a movable unit, and an elastic support portion; forming a first resist layer in a region corresponding to the base on a surface of a first semiconductor layer which is opposite to an insulating layer; forming a depression in the first semiconductor layer by etching the first semiconductor layer using the first resist layer as a mask; forming a second resist layer in a region corresponding to a rib portion on a bottom surface of the depression, a side surface of the depression, and the surface of the first semiconductor layer which is opposite to the insulating layer; and forming the rib portion by etching the first semiconductor layer until reaching the insulating layer using the second resist layer as a mask.