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.

A distance measuring apparatus includes a light source to emit light beams, an optical scanner to scan the light beams output from the light source over a predetermined range, a light receiver to receive reflected light obtained as a result of the light beams being reflected by a target object, and to output detection signals, and a control circuit to measure a distance to the target object based on the detection signals. The light source including a plurality of light-emitting device groups that are arranged in a scan direction of a scan performed by the optical scanner, and the control circuit being to make the plurality of light-emitting device groups emit light at respective different timings in a single scan, and to measure the distance to the target object based on a sum of the detection signals.

A light projection method for a moving body which is performed by a processor of the moving body is provided. The method comprises: irradiating light from a light source of the moving body; scanning the light irradiated from the light source with an angle range that is formed by swing a mirror portion of an optical scanner of the moving body; acquiring change information of the angle range at which the mirror portion swings; changing the angle range at which the mirror portion swings based on the acquired change information; and changing an irradiation range of the light irradiated from the light source.

A base, which has a main surface and a back surface on an opposite side from the main surface and is made of metal, an optical surface provided on the main surface, and a vibrating element provided on the main surface or the back surface are included, in which the base has a support portion, a first extending portion and a second extending portion extending from the support portion, a movable portion disposed between the first extending portion and the second extending portion, and a first connecting portion connecting the first extending portion and the movable portion to each other, and a second connecting portion connecting the second extending portion and the movable portion to each other.

Electrical connections are created between the actuator frame of a piezoelectric MEMS scanning mirror system and the substrate separate from the structural adhesive creating the mechanical bond between the actuator frame and the substrate. A structural bond (with no conducive properties) is formed between the actuator frame and the substrate. After the bond is fully formed, separate electric connections can be created by one or both of: 1) coating the actuator frame with a coating that enables a surface of the actuator frame to be wire bondable and creating a wire bond between the actuator frame and the substrate; or 2) depositing a trace of conductive material on the outside edge of the mechanical bond between the actuator frame and the substrate and a final protection layer may be applied over the conductive trace to protect the trace from mechanical or environmental damage.

A method of laser processing of a metallic material is described by means of a focused laser beam having a predetermined transverse power distribution on at least one working plane of the material, comprising the steps of: providing a laser beam emitting source; leading the laser beam along a beam transport optical path to a working head arranged in proximity to the material; collimating the laser beam along an optical axis of propagation incident on the material; focusing the collimated laser beam in an area of a working plane of the material; and conducting the focused laser beam along a working path on the metallic material comprising a succession of working areas, wherein the laser beam is shaped: by reflecting the collimated beam by means of a deformable controlled surface reflecting element having a plurality of independently movable reflection areas, and by controlling the arrangement of the reflection areas to establish a predetermined transverse power distribution of the beam on at least one working plane of the metallic material as a function of the area of the current working plane and/or of the current direction of the working path on the metallic material.

A MEMS device includes: a first beam and a second beam that are symmetrically disposed with respect to a first rotation axis of a mirror portion, in which a third beam is disposed on a side opposite to the first beam and the second beam with reference to a line that is orthogonal to the first rotation axis and passes through a center of gravity of the mirror portion.

An optical reflector element includes: a first oscillator and a second oscillator for oscillating a reflector and disposed with the reflector being interposed therebetween along a first axis; and a third oscillator for oscillating the first oscillator and the second oscillator. The third oscillator includes: a first assister that causes the support of the first oscillator and the support of the second oscillator to operate, by connecting the support of the first oscillator and the support of the second oscillator to one base included in a pair of bases disposed with the first axis being interposed therebetween; and a second assister that causes the support of the first oscillator and the support of the second oscillator to operate, by connecting the support of the first oscillator and the support of the second oscillator to an other base included in the pair of bases.

In one example, an on-mirror adaptive optics system may include a substrate including a deformable surface, a controller and a plurality of pockets defined in a substrate. Each of the pockets may include a an electrooptical sensor and an actuator. The controller may be communicatively coupled to the electrooptical sensor and the actuator. The controller may be configured to generate control voltages based on signals received from the electrooptical sensor to deform a portion of the deformable surface proximate a corresponding pocket of the plurality of pockets.

Low-loss terahertz switches with nanometer resolution positioning and feedback are disclosed. In one embodiment, the switch uses a U-bend waveguide surrounded by an electromagnetic band gap and is implemented in a fully metal-machined fashion in combination with a piezo-electric motor and an optical linear encoder. In another embodiment, the switch comprises a MEMS device.