Amplification of MEMS motion
US6781744B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3518
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A MEMS device having a movable mirror and a movable actuator plate mechanically coupled together such that a relatively small displacement of the plate results in mirror rotation by a relatively large angle. In a representative embodiment, the mirror and actuator plate are supported on a substrate. The actuator plate moves in response to a voltage difference applied between the plate and an electrode located on the substrate beneath that plate. One or more springs attached to the plate provide a counteracting restoring force when they are stretched from their rest positions by the plate motion. A spring attached between the actuator plate and the mirror transfers the motion of the actuator plate to the mirror such that, when the actuator plate moves toward the substrate, the mirror moves away from the substrate. A representative MEMS device of the invention configured with a mirror that is about 100 &mgr;m in length is capable of producing the mirror rotation angle of about 15 degrees using an actuator voltage of only about 50 V.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.