An optical scanning device includes a reflector, a rotator, a first torsion beam and a second torsion beam, a first support part, a second support part, a first elastic layer, and a second elastic layer. The first elastic layer is superposed on the first torsion beam. The second elastic layer is superposed on the second torsion beam. A vertical dimension of an active layer is smaller than a horizontal dimension of the active layer in a cross section orthogonal to a direction in which the rotator is interposed between the first torsion beam and the second torsion beam. A material of the first elastic layer and the second elastic layer is higher in fatigue life than metal.

Techniques to be described herein are based upon the combination of a digital lock-in amplifier approach with a numerical method to yield accurate estimations of the amplitude and phase of a sense signal obtained from a movement sensor associated with a resonant MEMS device such as a MEMS mirror. The techniques described herein are efficient from a computational point of view, in a manner which is suitable for applications in which the implementing hardware is to follow size and power consumption constraints.

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanner having actuator pairs adjacent to sides of a scanning mirror. Actuator pairs include individual actuators that are physically located adjacent to opposite sides of the scanning mirror and that, upon activation, induce angular rotation into the scanning mirror. Torsional beam flexures suspend the scanning mirror from a frame structure and facilitate rotation of the scanning mirror about a rotational axis. During operation of the MEMS scanner, a drive signal may be applied to the actuator pair to cause each individual actuator, of the actuator pair, to deform in unison, thereby generating some degree of tip deflection. Since the torsional beam flexures are connected to the tips of the actuators via the lever arms, this tip deflection serves as actuator stroke that induces torsional deformation into the torsional beam flexure—thereby causing rotation of the scanning mirror about the rotational axis.

A method of post-processing an actuator element is presented. The method begins by receiving a fabricated actuator element including a metallic layer contacting a substrate, sacrificial layer proximate the metallic layer, and a first dielectric layer on the sacrificial layer. The metallic layer has an end proximal to and contacting at least part of the substrate and a distal end extending over the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric is deposited on a portion of the metallic layer at the distal end. And, the sacrificial layer is removed.

A micro scanning mirror, including a fixed substrate, a lens, and multiple cantilevers, are provided. Each cantilever includes a piezoelectric material structure, multiple first drive electrodes, and multiple second drive electrodes. The piezoelectric material structure includes a connecting part, a folding part, and a fixed part. The connecting part connects the lens along a direction parallel to a central axis of the lens. The folding part has a bending region and multiple drive electrode regions. The fixed part is connected to the fixed substrate, and the folding part is connected to the connecting part and the fixed part. The first drive electrodes and the second drive electrodes are respectively located in the corresponding drive electrode regions in the folding part. The micro scanning mirror of the disclosure can drive a large-sized micro mirror to rotate at an appropriate rotation angle.

A thin film actuator having transversely oriented structural stiffeners that serve to increase actuation stroke that results from longitudinal curvature. The thin film actuator may be deployed within electromechanical devices such that an actuatable deflection of a tip of the actuator plate produces the actuation stroke. The thin film actuator may include an actuator plate affixed to a substantially rigid frame structure. The actuator plate protrudes along a longitudinal axis away from the frame structure such that the actuator plate is cantilevered from the frame structure by some distance along this longitudinal axis. The thin film actuator includes a piezoelectric film on a surface of the actuator plate. Activation of the piezoelectric film generates tensile stress or compressive stress at the surface, thereby inducing a bending moment that causes the actuator plate to undergo longitudinal curvature and some lesser degree of transverse curvature.

A microelectromechanical mirror device includes a fixed structure defining a cavity, a tiltable structure elastically suspended above the cavity and carrying a reflecting surface, and having a main extension in a horizontal plane. A first pair of driving arms carry respective piezoelectric material regions that are biased to cause a rotation of the tiltable structure around a first rotation axis parallel to a first horizontal axis of the horizontal plane, and elastically coupled to the tiltable structure. Elastic suspension elements that couple the tiltable structure to the fixed structure at the first rotation axis are stiff with respect to movements out of the horizontal plane and yielding with respect to torsion around the first rotation axis, and further extend between the tiltable structure and the fixed structure. The elastic suspension elements have an asymmetrical arrangement on opposite sides of the tiltable structure along the first rotation axis.

A movable apparatus includes a movable unit including a mirror configured to reflect light, a support portion including a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the movable unit, the support portion configured to swingably support the movable unit, and a fixed unit connected to the second end of the support portion. The support portion includes a plurality of beam units and a connection unit connecting adjacent beam units of the plurality of beam units, wherein where the support portion is divided into two parts at a predetermined or given position, the two parts including a first part closer to the fixed unit and a second part closer to the movable unit. A beam unit of the plurality of beam units in the first part has a higher rigidity than a beam unit of the plurality of beam units in the second part.

Micro-electro-mechanical systems and a preparation method thereof are provided. The micro-electro-mechanical systems include first fixed comb fingers, second fixed comb fingers, a support beam, a movable platform, and movable comb fingers. The first fixed comb fingers and the second fixed comb fingers are fastened to a substrate, and the first fixed comb fingers are electrically isolated from the second fixed comb fingers. Two ends of the support beam are fastened to the substrate, and the movable platform is coupled to the support beam. The movable comb fingers are coupled to the movable platform, and form a three-layer comb finger structure with the first fixed comb fingers and the second fixed comb fingers. This structure improves drive efficiency of the micro-electro-mechanical systems.

The micromirror device includes: a movable portion having a mirror portion on which a reflecting surface for reflecting incident light is formed; a first support portion that is connected to the movable portion on a first axis located in a plane including the reflecting surface of the mirror portion in a stationary state, and that swingably supports the movable portion around the first axis; and a pair of first actuators that are connected to the first support portion and face each other across the first axis, each of which being a piezoelectric drive type first actuator that allows the movable portion to swing around the first axis, in which in a case where the movable portion swings around the first axis, at least a part of the first actuator swings around the first axis in a phase opposite to a phase of the movable portion, and assuming that a ratio of a rotation angle of the first actuator to a rotation angle of the movable portion is R, 0<R<1.00 is satisfied.