A multi-axis MEMS assembly includes: a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide linear three-axis movement, the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator including: an in-plane MEMS actuator, and an out-of-plane MEMS actuator including a multi-morph piezoelectric actuator; an optoelectronic device coupled to the in-plane MEMS actuator; and a lens barrel assembly coupled to the out-of-plane MEMS actuator.

Technologies for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) made up of composable piezoelectric actuators is disclosed. An elongated piezoelectric rod is disposed between a top and a bottom electrode. The top electrode runs along one edge of the top of the piezoelectric rod for a first segment, then runs along the other edge of the top of the piezoelectric rod for the a second segment. When a voltage is applied across the electrodes, the piezoelectric rod bends in a first direction for the first segment and in a second direction opposite the first for the second segment, displacing the tip of the rod. Several such rods can be joined in parallel and/or series, allowing for large-scale systems to be composed.

A MEMS actuator includes a monolithic body of semiconductor material, with a supporting portion of semiconductor material, orientable with respect to a first and second rotation axes, transverse to each other. A first frame of semiconductor material is coupled to the supporting portion through first deformable elements configured to control a rotation of the supporting portion about the first rotation axis. A second frame of semiconductor material is coupled to the first frame by second deformable elements, which are coupled between the first and the second frames and configured to control a rotation of the supporting portion about the second rotation axis. The first and second deformable elements carry respective piezoelectric actuation elements.

An actuator including a beam configured to support an object to be driven, and a drive source to which a drive signal is input, wherein the drive signal includes a drive waveform in a shape of sawtooth waveform, a rising of the drive waveform in the shape of sawtooth waveform includes a first staircase waveform and a second staircase waveform continuing from the first staircase waveform, the first staircase waveform generates oscillation of a ringing suppressing waveform for suppressing a ringing waveform to be generated in the second staircase waveform, and the object to be driven is driven to swing in a direction of rotating around the predetermined axis by driving the drive source.

A piezoelectric actuator is formed like a rectangular flat plate, and includes a substrate layer, a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer formed in this order from bottom to top in a thickness direction. The upper electrode layer is constituted of a plurality of electrode segments separated in a surface direction, and connection wires connecting the electrode segments which are adjoining in the surface direction.

A multi-axis MEMS assembly includes: a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide linear three-axis movement; and an optoelectronic device coupled to the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator.

A method of making a MEMS actuator with a monolithic body of semiconductor material includes forming a supporting portion of semiconductor material, orientable with respect to first and second rotation axes, the first rotation axis being transverse with respect to the second rotation axis, and forming a first frame of semiconductor material. The method further includes forming first deformable elements, of semiconductor material, coupled to the first frame, and configured to control a rotation of the supporting portion about the first rotation axis. The method also includes forming a second frame of semiconductor material, and forming second deformable elements, of semiconductor material, coupled to the first frame and to the second frame, and configured to control a rotation of the supporting portion about the second rotation axis. The first and second deformable elements are formed to carry respective first and second piezoelectric actuation elements.

A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) assembly includes a stationary stage, a rigid stage, at least one flexure configured to slidably couple the stationary stage and the rigid stage, at least one flexible electrode coupled and essentially orthogonal to one of the stationary stage and the rigid stage, and at least one rigid electrode coupled and essentially orthogonal to the other of the stationary stage and the rigid stage.

A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) assembly includes a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to be coupled, on a lower surface, to a printed circuit board, an image sensor assembly coupled to an upper surface of the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator, and a holder assembly coupled to and positioned with respect to the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator.

A control unit to control a movement of a reflector includes a drive signal output unit to apply a drive voltage having a minimum value and a maximum value in one cycle to a piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element, the deformation of the piezoelectric element causing the reflector to move, and circuitry to control the drive voltage to have the minimum value greater than a zero voltage by a given difference value.