An apparatus comprising: a thermally-actuated microactuator configured to deflect a component in dependence on an applied stimulus; and an extender having a length configured to increase deflection of the component by the microactuator, wherein the extender comprises one or more voids.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing electromagnetic radiation sensing using sequential beam splitting. The apparatuses can include a micro-mirror chip having a plurality of light reflecting surfaces, an image sensor having an imaging surface, and a beamsplitter unit located between the micro-mirror chip and the image sensor. The beamsplitter unit includes a plurality of beamsplitters aligned along a horizontal axis that is parallel to the micro-mirror chip and the imaging surface. The beamsplitters implement the sequential beam splitting. Because of the structure of the beamsplitter unit, the height of the arrangement of the micro-mirror chip, the beamsplitter unit, and the image sensor is reduced such that the arrangement can fit within a mobile device. Within a mobile device, the apparatuses can be utilized for human detection, fire detection, gas detection, temperature measurements, environmental monitoring, energy saving, behavior analysis, surveillance, information gathering and for human-machine interfaces.

A thermally actuated adaptive optic includes a base, a reflector, and a plurality of actuators coupled therebetween. The reflector has a light-receiving front surface, and a back surface facing the base. Each actuator includes a bracket rigidly bonded to the reflector at a perimeter of the reflector, and an inner rod and an outer rod. Each rod is rigidly connected between the bracket and the base, with the inner rod being closer to a center of the reflector. The length of each rod is temperature dependent. In another adaptive optic, the rods are instead bonded directly to the reflector. This adaptive optic may be modified to implement an integrally formed, thermally actuated support. The disclosed adaptive optics are suitable for use in laser systems, allow for significant cost savings over piezoelectric devices, provide a reflective area free of surface-figure perturbations caused by the actuator-interfaces, and are relatively simple to manufacture.

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.

In an optical device, a mirror surface is provided in a movable portion. A support portion supports the movable portion through an elastic connection portion. A force generator generates force in the movable portion. A drive controller outputs a drive signal that operates the force generator. The movable portion has a resonance frequency higher than a frequency of the drive signal output from the drive controller in a state before the elastic connection portion is heated. The movable portion swings due to the elastic deformation of the elastic connection portion in response to the force of the force generator. A heat controller acquires a signal that indicates a swing state of the movable portion and performs, based on a phase of the acquired signal, feedback control of heating of the elastic connection portion by a heater.

Embodiments of optical scanners, optical projection systems, and methods of scanning optical waveguides and projecting images are described. The disclosed devices, systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the compactness, robustness, simplicity, and reliability of optical scanners and optical projection systems by implementing a thermally driven actuator for inducing oscillations of a cantilever within the optical scanners and optical projection systems. The stability and accuracy of optical scanners and optical projection systems are further enhanced using capacitive sensing, feedback, and phase correction techniques described herein.

A device for thermally actuating a deformable mirror includes a monolithic block that includes a mirror plate having a front face forming or configured to support a mirror, a base, and a one-dimensional array of thermally expandable actuators. The thermally expandable actuators mechanically connect a rear face of the mirror plate to the base such that shape, tilt, and/or location of the front face depend on temperature of the thermally expandable actuators. The mirror plate, base, and thermally expandable actuators are defined by slits that span between opposite-facing top and bottom surfaces of the monolithic block. The monolithic block may be made of a metal and may be manufactured at relatively low cost by wire eroding the slits in a metal block, using a wire that passes through the metal block between its top and bottom surfaces.

An optical switch is proposed, for routing an optical transmission signal according to an optical control signal, including one or more optical control ports; three or more optical transmission ports; a light director; and a thermally driven light mill; where the light mill and the light director are arranged with respect to each other, to the one or more control ports and to the three or more transmission ports such that: illumination of a respective one of the one or more control ports by a control beam carrying the control signal drives the light mill to rotate towards a respective position in which the light director is arranged so as to direct a transmission beam carrying the transmission signal, entering the switch via a respective one of the transmission ports, to exit the switch via a respective other of the transmission ports.

A micromechanical component includes an adjustable part, a mounting, at least one bending actuator, and a permanent magnet. The part is positioned on the mounting so as to be adjustable relative to the mounting about a first rotation axis and about a second rotation axis inclined relative to the first axis. The actuator includes at least one movable subregion. Movement of the subregion results in a restoring force that moves the part about the first axis. The part is connected indirectly to the magnet to be adjustable about the second axis of rotation via a magnetic field built up by the magnet together with a yoke device of the component or an external yoke. A micromirror device includes the micromechanical component. A method for adjusting the part includes adjusting the part simultaneously about the first and the second axes.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing on-board electromagnetic radiation sensing using beam splitting in a radiation sensing apparatus. The radiation sensing apparatuses can include a micro-mirror chip including a plurality of light reflecting surfaces. The apparatuses can also include an image sensor including an imaging surface. The apparatuses can also include a beamsplitter unit located between the micro-mirror chip and the image sensor. The beamsplitter unit can include a beamsplitter that includes a partially-reflective surface that is oblique to the imaging surface and the micro-mirror chip. The apparatuses can also include an enclosure configured to enclose at least the beamsplitter and a light source. With the apparatuses, the light source can be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB). Also, the enclosure can include an inner surface that has an angled reflective surface that is configured to reflect light from the light source in a direction towards the beamsplitter.