Micromachined members coupled for relative rotation by torsion bars

US6044705A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• XROS, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Armand P. Neukermans · Palo Alto, US
• Timothy G. Slater · San Francisco, US
• Philip Downing · Saratoga, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 12, 1997
• Grant date: Apr 4, 2000
• Expiry date: May 12, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B26/101
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Two torsion bars project from a reference member to support at least one plate or frame-shaped first dynamic member for rotation about an axis of the torsion bars. In one embodiment, a frame-shaped first dynamic member and a second pair of torsion bars, oriented non-parallel to the first torsion bars, support a second dynamic member for rotation about an axis that is collinear with the second pair of torsion bars. The vibrational frequency of the principal torsional vibrational mode of the dynamic members are respectively lower by at least 20% than the vibrational frequency of any other vibrational mode thereof. Either an electrostatic or electromagnetic drive means imparts rotary motion to the dynamic members about the collinear torsion bar axis(es). The reference member, the torsion bars and the dynamic member(s) are all monolithically fabricated from a stress-free semiconductor layer of a silicon substrate.