JP2002228903A - Optical unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical unit which reduces the electric power consumption of the time when optical elements are displaced in order to perform focusing, zooming, deflection prevention, etc., and makes the response speed up in an optical device. SOLUTION: This optical unit is constituted by using a leaf spring actuator equipped with substrates 10 and 11 having at least one stationary electrodes and a substrate 12 having at least one movable leaf spring-like electrodes. The central portions of the substrates 10, 11 and 12 are respectively provided with holes 16, 17 and 18 and at least one holes are mounted with lenses, mirrors, prisms, etc. When a voltage is impressed between the substrate 11 and the substrate 12, an optical element supporting section 14 moves to the substrate 11 side and when the voltage is impressed between the substrate 10 and the substrate 12, the optical element supporting section 14 moves to the substrate 10 side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an optical device such as a digital camera, when performing focus, zoom, shake prevention, etc., each function as a drive means for displacing an optical element constituting an optical system and a drive source. A motor and a solenoid are used, and the displacement of the optical element is controlled by mechanical means such as a gear and a cam.

[0003]

However, motors and solenoids have drawbacks in that they consume large amounts of power, have low response speed, and cannot achieve highly accurate optical performance. Specifically, it is necessary to drive a motor or the like and mechanical means for each of the above-mentioned focus, zoom, etc., so that power consumption is increased, and a mechanical mechanism such as a gear interposed for displacing the optical element is used. Since the means had to be started and stopped, the response speed was slow. Further, high precision optical performance cannot be achieved due to errors such as backlash of the mechanical means.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical unit for reducing the power consumption when displacing an optical element to perform focus, zoom, shake prevention, etc. in an optical device and for increasing the response speed. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an optical unit according to the present invention is constituted by using a leaf spring actuator.

Further, the present invention uses a leaf spring actuator to focus (compensate for movement of an object), prevent vibration, correct assembly errors, compensate for changes in the optical system due to changes in temperature, humidity, etc., zoom, and zoom. , And at least one of diopter adjustments.

Further, the present invention is configured to drive the optical element using, for example, at least one leaf spring actuator.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Prior to the description of embodiments of the present invention, a basic configuration of a leaf spring actuator used in an optical unit will be described. FIGS. 1A and 1B are views showing a basic configuration of a leaf spring actuator used in the optical unit of the present invention. FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 1B is a plan view of a leaf spring part, and FIG. It is a state explanatory view showing a state. The leaf spring actuator 1 is configured by bonding a substrate 12 having a movable electrode and a substrate 11 having a fixed electrode.

The substrate 12 includes a frame member 12a, a thin plate member 14, and four crank-shaped beam members 12b connecting the two. The thin plate-like member 14 and the beam member 12b are made of a conductive material and constitute a movable electrode. The beam members 12b are connected to four corners of the thin plate member 14,
It has a crank-like shape so as to surround the thin plate-like member 14, whereby the beam length can be increased with a small occupied area, so that a small spring constant can be obtained, and the thin plate-like member 14 can be reduced with a smaller electrostatic force. Can be displaced as shown in FIG. 1 (c), for example. In FIG. 1, the beam member is formed in an L shape, but may be formed in a U shape or an arc shape.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a control electrode 15 divided into four parts is fixed to the substrate 11. Each electrode has a region corresponding to a region directly below each beam member 12 b of the substrate 12 and a region corresponding to a region directly below the thin plate member 14.

When the movable electrode is grounded and a high voltage is applied to a desired control electrode 15 in the figure by the substrate 11, a portion of the thin plate member 14 corresponding to the control electrode 15 and a beam member connected thereto are connected. At 12b, electrostatic attraction acts. Here, when the other three electrodes of the substrate 11 are grounded, the substrate 1
2, no electrostatic attraction is generated in the other region. As a result, the thin plate member 14 is attracted to the substrate 11 side in that region, and is inclined with respect to the substrate 11. 11 becomes smaller. Further, when the substrate 12 is grounded and the same voltage is applied to the four electrodes 15 of the substrate 11, the same electrostatic force acts on the thin plate member 14 and the four beam members 12b. Translate toward.

In this manner, the leaf spring actuator 1
Is configured such that the tilt and the vertical displacement of the thin plate member 14 can be freely controlled by controlling the voltage applied to the four electrodes 15 of the substrate 11 having the fixed electrodes.

Holes 17 and 18 are provided at the center portions of the substrates 11 and 12, respectively. When an optical element such as a lens is mounted in the hole 18 of the substrate 12, the optical element is displaced so that the hole 17 is displaced. , 18 can be changed. Note that the thin plate-shaped member 14 of the substrate 12 also serves as an optical element support in an embodiment described later.

As described above, the leaf spring actuator used in the present invention includes the substrate having at least one fixed electrode and the substrate having at least one movable leaf-shaped electrode (movable electrode). Note that if the substrate includes a substrate having a fixed electrode and a substrate having a movable electrode, the substrate having two fixed electrodes may have a configuration in which the substrate having the movable electrode is interposed. The number of each substrate is not limited. Instead of using the electrostatic force, the two electrodes may be replaced by a coil, for example, a thin film coil, and the leaf spring may be deformed by an electromagnetic force. Alternatively, one electrode may be a permanent magnet, and the other electrode may be a coil, and may be configured as a leaf spring actuator that deforms the leaf spring by electromagnetic force. Such a configuration has an advantage that the deformation direction can be changed only by changing the polarity of the current. In the present application, the coil is included in the electrode.

Next, an embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention using such a leaf spring actuator will be described. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention. The optical unit 13 of the present embodiment is configured using a leaf spring actuator in which one substrate 12 having a movable leaf spring electrode is disposed between two substrates 10 and 11 each having a fixed electrode. I have. In the optical unit 13 of the present embodiment, when a voltage is applied between the substrate 11 and the substrate 12, the optical element support 14 moves to the right side of the drawing (toward the substrate 11). When a voltage is applied during this period, the optical element supporting portion 14 moves to the left side of the drawing (toward the substrate 10).

For this reason, according to the optical unit 13 of the present embodiment, the substrate 12 having one movable leaf spring-shaped electrode
Thus, the stroke of the optical element support 14 can be doubled. Alternatively, the same stroke as when the optical element support portion 14 is moved in one direction can be obtained only by applying a half voltage. The substrates 10, 1
Holes 16, 17, and 18 are provided in the center portions of the holes 1 and 12, respectively. At least one of the holes is provided with a lens, a mirror, a prism, or the like. Digital cameras, cameras, endoscopes, TV cameras, telescopes, illumination optical systems, binoculars, viewfinders, zooming, zooming, focusing, anti-shake of optical pickup devices, compensation for deterioration of imaging performance, etc. It has become.

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view showing a second embodiment of the optical unit according to the present invention. Optical unit 21 of the present embodiment
Are two sets of leaf spring actuators each composed of a substrate having one fixed electrode and a substrate having one movable leaf spring-shaped electrode so that the substrates having movable leaf spring-shaped electrodes face each other. , And an optical system is provided in a hole provided at the center of the movable leaf spring-shaped electrode. Specifically, a leaf spring actuator 1A composed of one substrate 10A having a fixed electrode and one substrate 12A having a movable leaf spring electrode,
A leaf spring actuator 1B composed of a substrate 10B having one fixed electrode and a substrate 12B having one movable leaf spring electrode is combined with the substrates 12A and 12B having mutually movable leaf spring electrodes. They are arranged facing each other.

In the center of each electrode, holes 17A, 18A,
17B and 18B are provided. One end of an optical system 19 is inserted into each of the holes 18A and 18B of the substrates 12A and 12B having movable leaf spring electrodes. Also,
Electric forces (voltages and currents) in opposite directions are applied between the substrates 10A and 12A of the leaf spring actuator 1A and between the substrates 10B and 12B of the leaf spring actuator 1B, respectively. Since they are arranged to face each other, the substrates 12A and 12B having the movable leaf spring-like electrodes move in the same direction.

According to the optical unit of this embodiment configured as described above, the optical system is moved with twice the force of a normal leaf spring actuator, so that the movable range of the mass of the movable optical system is allowed. And the degree of freedom in optical design can be increased. The optical system 19 may be constituted by a plurality of optical elements such as a plurality of lenses and lens mirrors, or may be constituted by one optical element having a large mass.

Further, by applying the configuration of the present embodiment, a leaf spring actuator composed of a substrate having one fixed electrode and a substrate having one movable leaf spring-shaped electrode is provided.
The optical element may be moved using more than one set.

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view showing a third embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention. Optical unit 31 of the present embodiment
Is configured to include an imaging optical system 32 configured using one set of a leaf spring actuator 1 including a substrate having one fixed electrode and a substrate having one movable leaf spring electrode. ing. The imaging optical system 32 includes lenses 33a-3
3e, a substrate 10 having a fixed electrode and a substrate 12 having a movable leaf-spring-like electrode constituting the leaf spring actuator 1, and a lens 33f fixed in a hole provided in an optical element supporting portion of the substrate 12. It is composed of lenses 33g and 33h. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 34 denotes an aperture, and 38 denotes a solid-state image sensor.

The leaf spring actuator 1 includes a driving circuit 3
6 is connected to an electronic circuit 35 including a control circuit 37. The electronic circuit 35 is equal to the electrodes divided into four on the substrates 10 and 12 constituting the leaf spring actuator 1, respectively. Or different electrical forces (voltage,
By applying a current, the position and inclination of the lens 33f can be changed.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 44 denotes an arithmetic unit for controlling a plurality of resistors provided in the variable resistor 41;
46, 47, and 48 are a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a distance sensor, and a shake sensor connected to the arithmetic unit 44, respectively.

The position and inclination of the lens 33f are controlled by changing the resistance value of each variable resistor 41 by a signal from the arithmetic unit 44 so that the imaging performance is optimized. That is, signals of magnitudes corresponding to the ambient temperature and humidity, the distance to the object, and the amount of shake are input from the temperature sensor 45, the humidity sensor 46, the distance sensor 47, and the shake sensor 48 to the arithmetic device 44. Based on these input signals, to compensate for the deterioration of the imaging performance due to the ambient temperature and humidity conditions and the distance and shake to the object,
A signal for determining the resistance value of the variable resistor 41 is output so that a predetermined voltage for determining the position and the tilt angle of the lens 33f is applied to the electrode 15.

As described above, the optical element supporting portion of the substrate 12 is deformed by the voltage applied to the electrode 15, that is, the electrostatic force, and its position and inclination take various shapes depending on the situation. Note that the distance sensor 47 may not be provided. In this case, focusing can be performed by slightly deforming the position of the lens 33f in the Z direction and determining the position and inclination of the lens 33f so that the high-frequency component of the image signal from the solid-state imaging device becomes substantially maximum.

The shake sensor 48 detects, for example, a shake at the time of photographing by a digital camera, and deforms the arithmetic circuit 44 and the arithmetic circuit 44 so as to deform the substrate 12 having a movable leaf-spring-like electrode so as to compensate for image disturbance caused by the shake. The voltage applied to the four electrodes 15 provided on the substrate 10 via the variable resistor 41 is changed. At this time, signals from the temperature sensor 45, the humidity sensor 46, and the distance sensor 47 are simultaneously considered, and focusing, temperature and humidity compensation, and the like are performed.

The temperature sensor 45 and the humidity sensor 4
6 and the distance sensor 47 and the shake sensor 48 are not necessarily required. For example, the user manually operates the variable resistor 4
1 may be adjusted to perform focusing and optimize imaging performance.

The image pickup optical system 32 constituted by using the optical unit of the present embodiment is used for a digital camera, a film camera (in this case, the solid-state image pickup device 38 is replaced with a film), an electronic endoscope, and the like. Can be used. Further, if the solid-state imaging device 38 is replaced with a light receiving device, it can be used also for a pickup optical system of an optical disk.

In this embodiment, as an optical unit using a leaf spring actuator for adjusting the position and inclination of the lens 33f, a substrate having one fixed electrode and one movable leaf spring are used. Instead of an optical unit using a leaf spring actuator 1 composed of a substrate having electrodes, as shown in FIG. 1, a substrate having two fixed electrodes and one movable leaf spring-shaped electrode therebetween. And an optical unit 13 using a leaf spring actuator composed of a substrate having a fixed electrode and a substrate having one movable leaf spring electrode as shown in FIG. Two sets of leaf spring actuators composed of
It may be configured using an optical unit 21 or the like which is configured by arranging substrates having movable leaf spring-shaped electrodes so as to face each other.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural view showing a fourth embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the imaging device 50 is configured using a plurality of leaf spring actuators. Specifically, an optical unit 1 using two types of leaf spring actuators between optical systems constituting an imaging device
3 and 21 are provided. A lens 51b is attached to a hole provided in the substrate 12 having a movable leaf spring-like electrode of the optical unit 13, and a lens 51c is attached to a hole provided in the substrate 11 having the fixed electrode. . Holes 18 provided in movable leaf spring-shaped electrodes of leaf spring actuators 1A and 1B of optical unit 21
A and 18B have lenses 51h and 5h via a lens barrel.
1i is installed. In FIG. 5, 51a, 51d,
51e, 51f and 51g are lenses.

According to this embodiment, the lens 51b is displaced by using the leaf spring actuators of the optical unit 13 and the leaf spring actuators 1A and 1B of the optical unit 21 in this manner. Alternatively, zooming and zooming can be performed by displacing the lenses 51h and 51i attached to the leaf spring actuators 1A and 1B. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4, in this embodiment, an electronic circuit substantially similar to that of the embodiment of FIG. 4 is connected to each leaf spring actuator.
Focusing, shake prevention, compensation for changes in temperature and humidity, correction of assembly errors, and the like can be performed at the same time. Further, an imaging optical system configured using the optical unit of the present embodiment includes:
Like the imaging optical system of the embodiment of FIG. 4, the present invention can be used for a digital camera, a film camera, an electronic endoscope, an optical pickup optical system, and the like.

In this embodiment, eccentric lenses are used for the lenses 51b and 51c in order to facilitate the correction of the shake, and the shake correction is performed only by moving the lens 51b in the optical axis direction (Z direction in the figure). Is available. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 53 denotes a zoom instruction button, and when pressed by a user, the lenses attached to the leaf spring actuators 1A and 1B move in a predetermined direction to perform zooming of the photographing lens system. I have. The other circuit configuration is almost the same as the embodiment of FIG. 4 as described above.

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view showing a fifth embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention. The optical unit according to the present embodiment includes:
A hole provided in the substrate 12 having the movable leaf spring-shaped electrode of the leaf spring actuator 1 composed of the substrate 10 having one fixed electrode and the substrate 12 having one movable leaf spring-shaped electrode 18 is provided with a deformable mirror 54. In FIG. 6, an image pickup apparatus is configured by including the taking lens 56 and the solid-state image pickup device 38 in the optical unit of the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 36 'denotes a drive circuit of the deformable mirror 54. The drive circuit 36' is variable by controlling an electric force (voltage or current) applied to an electrode provided on the deformable mirror. Reflecting surface 5 of shape mirror 54
5 can be freely deformed.

In the optical unit of this embodiment, the deformable mirror 54 itself deforms the reflection surface 55,
Correction of aberrations caused by focusing, assembly errors, and manufacturing errors is mainly performed. Deflection is performed by changing the inclination angle of the deformable mirror 54 by the leaf spring actuator 1, and the deformable mirror 54 is corrected by the leaf spring actuator 1. By changing the position in the Z direction, zooming, compensation for focus movement accompanying zooming, and the like are performed. An example described later can also be used as the deformable mirror. In addition, a variable focus mirror whose shape does not change may be used, and in the present application, these are also included in the variable shape mirror.

According to the optical unit of the present embodiment, one unit can realize many functions such as focus, zoom, and shake prevention. And a telescope,
It can also be used for optical devices such as binoculars. Further, in the control of focus, zoom, and the like, there is an advantage that can be achieved by known means. For example, the optical axis shift, eccentricity, inclination, and the like of the photographing lens 56 with respect to the image pickup device 38 caused by an assembly error are converted into the amount of displacement of the optical element and stored as an initial value in a storage medium such as an EEPROM. Sensor 45, humidity sensor 46, distance sensor 4
7. By performing addition control of the corrected displacement of the optical element from the shake sensor 48 by a known means, control such as focus and zoom can be achieved.

Next, an example of the configuration of a deformable mirror applicable to the optical unit of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view of a Kepler type finder of a digital camera using an optical characteristic mirror according to another embodiment of the optical apparatus to which the optical unit of the present invention is applied. Of course, it can be used for silver halide film cameras. First, the optical characteristic variable shape mirror 409 will be described.

The optical characteristic deformable mirror 409 is composed of an aluminum-coated thin film (reflection surface) 409a and a plurality of electrodes 4
Reference numeral 411 denotes a plurality of variable resistors connected to the respective electrodes 409b, and reference numeral 412 denotes a variable resistance mirror and a power switch 413. A power source 414 connected between the thin film 409a and the electrode 409b, and an arithmetic unit 41 for controlling the resistance values of the plurality of variable resistors 411;
Reference numerals 5, 416, and 417 denote a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a distance sensor connected to the arithmetic unit 414, respectively, which are arranged as shown to constitute one optical device.

The objective lens 902 and the eyepiece 90
1 and prism 404, isosceles right angle prism 40
5. Each surface of the mirror 406 and the deformable mirror need not be a flat surface, and may be a spherical surface, a rotationally symmetric aspheric surface, a spherical surface decentered with respect to the optical axis, a plane, a rotationally symmetric aspheric surface, or a symmetric surface. May have any shape, such as an aspheric surface having, an aspheric surface having only one symmetric surface, an aspheric surface having no symmetric surface, a free-form surface, a surface having indistinguishable points or lines, and a reflective surface. The refracting surface may be any surface that can have some effect on light. Hereinafter, these surfaces are collectively referred to as an extended curved surface.

The thin film 409a is made of, for example, P. Rai-ch
oudhury, Handbook of Michrolithography, Michroma
chining and Michrofabrication, Volume 2: Michromach
ining and Michrofabrication, P495, Fig.8.58, SPIE PR
Published by ESS and Optics Communication, Vol. 140 (1997) P187-
As in the membrane mirror described in 190, when a voltage is applied between the plurality of electrodes 409b, the thin film 409a is deformed by electrostatic force, and its surface shape is changed. Not only allows the focus to be adjusted according to the diopter of the observer, but also
1, 902 and / or the prism 404, the isosceles right-angle prism 405, the deformation or the change in the refractive index of the mirror 406 due to the temperature or humidity change, or the expansion or contraction or deformation of the lens frame and the assembly error of the components such as the optical element and the frame. The deterioration of the imaging performance is suppressed, and the focus adjustment and the aberration caused by the focus adjustment can always be appropriately performed. The shape of the electrode 409b may be selected according to how the thin film 409a is deformed, for example, as shown in FIGS.

According to this embodiment, the light from the object is refracted by the entrance surface and the exit surface of the objective lens 902 and the prism 404, reflected by the deformable mirror 409, and reflected by the prism 40.
4 and is further reflected by the isosceles right-angle prism 405 (in FIG. 7, the + sign in the optical path indicates that the light beam travels toward the back side of the paper), and is reflected by the mirror 406. The light enters the eye via an eyepiece 901. Thus, the lenses 901 and 902, the prisms 404 and 405, and the deformable mirror 409
The observation optical system of the optical apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured. By optimizing the surface shape and thickness of each of these optical elements, aberrations on the object surface can be minimized. .

That is, the shape of the thin film 409a as the reflection surface is controlled by changing the resistance value of each variable resistor 411 by a signal from the arithmetic unit 414 so that the imaging performance is optimized. That is, the arithmetic unit 414
A signal having a magnitude corresponding to the ambient temperature and humidity and the distance to the object is input from the temperature sensor 415, the humidity sensor 416, and the distance sensor 417 to the arithmetic unit 414.
Based on these input signals, to compensate for the deterioration of the imaging performance due to the ambient temperature and humidity conditions and the distance to the object,
A voltage that determines the shape of the thin film 409a is applied to the electrode 40.
A signal for determining the resistance value of the variable resistor 411 is output so as to be applied to 9b. Thus, the thin film 409
Since a is deformed by the voltage applied to the electrode 409b, that is, the electrostatic force, the shape a may take various shapes including an aspherical surface depending on the situation, and may be convex if the polarity of the applied voltage is changed. Note that the distance sensor 417 may not be provided. In this case, the imaging lens 403 of the digital camera is moved so that the high-frequency component of the image signal from the solid-state imaging device 408 becomes substantially maximum, and the object distance is reversed from that position. May be calculated, and the deformable mirror may be deformed to focus on the eyes of the observer.

It is convenient to form the thin film 409a from a synthetic resin such as polyimide, since large deformation is possible even at a low voltage. Note that the prism 404 and the deformable mirror 409 can be integrally formed to form a unit.

Although not shown, the deformable mirror 40 is not shown.
The solid-state imaging device 408 may be integrally formed on the substrate 9 by a lithography process.

Also, lenses 901 and 902, prism 4
The 04, 405 and the mirror 406 can be easily formed with a curved surface of any desired shape by forming them with a plastic mold or the like, and the manufacture is simple. In the image pickup apparatus according to the present embodiment, the lenses 901 and 902 are
04, but separated from the lenses 901, 90
Prism 404, 405, mirror 406, deformable mirror 4 so that aberration can be removed without providing
If the lens 09 is designed, the prisms 404 and 405 and the deformable mirror 409 become one optical block, which facilitates assembly. Also, lenses 901 and 902, prisms 404 and 4
05, a part or all of the mirror 406 may be made of glass. With such a configuration, a more accurate imaging device can be obtained.

In the example of FIG. 7, the arithmetic unit 414, the temperature sensor 415, the humidity sensor 416, and the distance sensor 417 are provided, and the change in the temperature and humidity, the change in the object distance, and the like are compensated by the deformable mirror 409. May not be. That is, the arithmetic unit 414, the temperature sensor 415,
The humidity sensor 416 and the distance sensor 417 may be omitted, and only the change in diopter of the observer may be corrected by the deformable mirror 409.

Next, another configuration of the deformable mirror 409 will be described.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention. In this embodiment, a piezoelectric element 409c is interposed between a thin film 409a and an electrode 409b. And these are provided on a support base 423. By changing the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 409c for each electrode 409b, the piezoelectric element 4
09c is caused to expand and contract partially differently,
The shape of a can be changed. The shape of the electrode 409b may be concentric division as shown in FIG. 9, rectangular division as shown in FIG. 10, or any other appropriate shape can be selected. .
In FIG. 8, reference numeral 424 denotes a shake (shake) sensor connected to the arithmetic unit 414. The shake sensor detects a shake of a digital camera, for example, and compensates for a disturbance of an image due to the shake.
In order to deform 9a, the voltage applied to electrode 409b via arithmetic unit 414 and variable resistor 411 is changed. At this time, the temperature sensor 415 and the humidity sensor 4
The signals from the distance sensor 16 and the distance sensor 417 are also considered at the same time, and focusing, temperature and humidity compensation, and the like are performed. In this case, since a stress due to the deformation of the piezoelectric element 409c is applied to the thin film 409a, it is preferable that the thin film 409a be made somewhat thick to have a corresponding strength.

FIG. 11 shows still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.
This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the piezoelectric element interposed between the thin film 409a and the electrode 409b is composed of two piezoelectric elements 409c and 409c 'made of a material having opposite piezoelectric characteristics. 8 is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. In other words, if the piezoelectric elements 409c and 409c 'are made of ferroelectric crystals, they are arranged so that the directions of the crystal axes are opposite to each other. In this case, the piezoelectric elements 409c and 409
Since c ′ expands and contracts in the opposite direction when a voltage is applied, the force for deforming the thin film 409a becomes stronger than in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, and as a result, the shape of the mirror surface can be greatly changed. There is an advantage.

As the material used for the piezoelectric elements 409c and 409c ', for example, barium titanate, Rossiel salt,
Quartz crystal, tourmaline, piezoelectric substances such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP), ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP), lithium niobate, polycrystals of the same substance, crystals of the same substance, PbZ
There are piezoelectric ceramics of solid solution of rO ₃ and PbTiO ₃ , organic piezoelectric materials such as polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF), ferroelectrics other than the above, etc. In particular, organic piezoelectric materials have a small Young's modulus and large deformation even at low voltage. Is preferred because it is possible. When these piezoelectric elements are used, if the thickness is made non-uniform, the shape of the thin film 409a in the above embodiment can be appropriately deformed.

The materials of the piezoelectric elements 409c and 409c 'include high-molecular piezoelectric materials such as polyurethane, silicone rubber, acrylic elastomer, PZT, PLZT, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), vinylidene cyanide copolymer, and vinylidene fluoride. A copolymer of a ride and trifluoroethylene is used. If an organic material having piezoelectricity, a synthetic resin having piezoelectricity, an elastomer having piezoelectricity, or the like is used, large deformation of the deformable mirror surface may be realized.

When an electrostrictive material such as acrylic elastomer or silicon rubber is used for the piezoelectric element 409c shown in FIGS.
9c-1 and an electrostrictive material 409c-2 may be bonded together.

FIG. 12 shows still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the piezoelectric element 409c is sandwiched between the thin film 409a and the electrode 409d, and the thin film 409a is
The drive circuit 42 controlled by the arithmetic unit 414 during 9d
5, a voltage is applied thereto, and separately from the electrode 409 provided on the support 423.
The driving circuit 425 controlled by the arithmetic unit 414 also in b
Is configured to be applied with a voltage via the switch. Therefore, in this embodiment, the thin film 409a is
And the electrostatic force generated by the voltage applied to the electrode 409b can be deformed doubly, so that more deformation patterns than those shown in the above embodiments are possible, and There is an advantage that responsiveness is also fast.

By changing the sign of the voltage between the thin film 409a and the electrode 409d, the deformable mirror can be deformed into a convex surface or a concave surface. In that case, a large deformation may be performed by the piezoelectric effect, and a minute shape change may be performed by the electrostatic force. Further, the piezoelectric effect may be mainly used for deforming the convex surface, and the electrostatic force may be mainly used for deforming the concave surface. The electrode 4
09d may be composed of a plurality of electrodes like the electrode 409b. This state is shown in FIG. In the present application, the piezoelectric effect, the electrostrictive effect, and the electrostriction are all described as a piezoelectric effect. Therefore, the electrostrictive material is also included in the piezoelectric material.

FIG. 13 shows still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the shape of the reflecting surface can be changed by using electromagnetic force. A peripheral portion of the substrate 409e is mounted and fixed, and a thin film 409a made of a metal coat such as aluminum is attached to the surface of the substrate 409e to form a deformable mirror 409. A plurality of coils 427 are provided on the lower surface of the substrate 409e, and each of these coils 427 is connected to the arithmetic unit 4 via a drive circuit 428.
14. Therefore, each sensor 41
5, 416, 417, and 424, each drive circuit 428 is provided by an output signal from the arithmetic unit 414 corresponding to a change in the optical system obtained by the arithmetic unit 414.
When an appropriate current is supplied to each coil 427 from the respective coils, each coil 4
27 is repelled or adsorbed, and the substrate 409e and the thin film 409
a is deformed.

In this case, each of the coils 427 may flow a different amount of current. The number of coils 427 may be one, or the permanent magnet 426 may be
9e, the coil 427 may be provided on the inner bottom surface side of the support base 423. The coil 427 may be made by a method such as lithography.
7 may include an iron core made of a ferromagnetic material.

In this case, the winding density of the thin film coil 427 is
As shown in FIG. 14, a desired deformation can be given to the substrate 409e and the thin film 409a by changing depending on the place. Further, the number of coils 427 may be one, or an iron core made of a ferromagnetic material may be inserted into these coils 427.

FIG. 15 shows still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the substrate 409e is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, and the thin film 409a as a reflection film is made of aluminum or the like. In this case, since it is not necessary to provide a thin film coil, the structure is simple and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. If the power switch 413 is replaced with a switch for switching and opening / closing the power, the direction of the current flowing through the coil 427 can be changed, and the substrate 409e and the thin film 40 can be changed.
9a can be freely changed. FIG. 16 shows an arrangement of the coil 427 in this embodiment, and FIG. 17 shows another arrangement example of the coil 427, but these arrangements can be applied to the embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 18 shows an arrangement of the permanent magnets 426 suitable for a case where the arrangement of the coils 427 is as shown in FIG. 17 in the embodiment shown in FIG. That is, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, if the permanent magnets 426 are arranged radially, more delicate deformation can be applied to the substrate 409e and the thin film 409a than in the embodiment shown in FIG. Further, when the substrate 409e and the thin film 409a are deformed by using the electromagnetic force (the examples in FIGS. 13 and 15), there is an advantage that the driving can be performed at a lower voltage than when the electrostatic force is used.

Although several embodiments of the deformable mirror have been described above, two or more kinds of forces may be used to deform the shape of the mirror as shown in the example of FIG. That is, the deformable mirror may be deformed by simultaneously using two or more of electrostatic force, electromagnetic force, piezoelectric effect, magnetostriction, fluid pressure, electric field, magnetic field, temperature change, electromagnetic wave, and the like. That is, if the optical characteristic variable optical element is manufactured using two or more different driving methods, large deformation and minute deformation can be realized at the same time, and a highly accurate mirror surface can be realized.

FIG. 19 shows an imaging system using a deformable mirror 409 applicable to an optical unit, for example, a digital camera of a portable telephone, a capsule endoscope, an electronic endoscope, and the like, according to still another embodiment of the present invention. Digital camera for personal computer, PD
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an imaging system used in a digital camera for A and the like. In the imaging system according to the present embodiment, one imaging unit 104 includes the deformable mirror 409, the lens 902, the solid-state imaging device 408, and the control system 103. In the imaging unit 902 of this embodiment, light from the object that has passed through the lens 102 is condensed by the deformable mirror 409 and forms an image on the solid-state imaging device 408. The deformable mirror 409 is a kind of optical characteristic variable optical element, and is also called a variable focus mirror.

According to this embodiment, even if the object distance changes, focusing can be performed by deforming the deformable mirror 409, and there is no need to drive the lens with a motor or the like. Excellent in terms of low power consumption.
Further, the imaging unit 104 can be used in all embodiments as the imaging system of the present invention. In addition, the deformable mirror 4
By using a plurality of 09, an imaging system and an optical system for zooming and zooming can be made. In FIG. 19, the control system 103
2 shows a configuration example of a control system including a booster circuit of a transformer using a coil. In particular, if a laminated piezoelectric transformer is used, the size may be reduced. The booster circuit can be used for all the variable-shape mirrors and variable-focus lenses of the present invention that use electricity, but is particularly useful for variable-shape mirrors and variable-focus lenses that use electrostatic force and the piezoelectric effect.

FIG. 20 is a schematic structural view of a deformable mirror 188 according to still another embodiment of the deformable mirror applicable to the optical unit of the present invention, in which the fluid 161 is taken in and out by the micro pump 180 and the lens surface is deformed. It is. According to this embodiment, there is an advantage that the lens surface can be largely deformed. The micro pump 180 is, for example, a small pump made by micro machine technology.
It is configured to run on electric power. The fluid 161 is sandwiched between the transparent substrate 163 and the elastic body 164. Examples of pumps made by micromachine technology include those using thermal deformation, those using piezoelectric materials, and those using electrostatic force.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a micropump applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.
In the micropump 180 of the present embodiment, the vibration plate 181 vibrates due to an electric force such as an electrostatic force or a piezoelectric effect. FIG.
FIG. 21 shows an example of vibration due to electrostatic force.
Among them, 182 and 183 are electrodes. The dotted line shows the diaphragm 181 when deformed. With the vibration of the vibration plate 181, the two valves 184 and 185 open and close, and the fluid 161
From right to left.

In the deformable mirror 188 of the present embodiment, the reflecting film 189 functions as a deformable mirror by being deformed into irregularities according to the amount of the fluid 161. The deformable mirror 188 is driven by the fluid 161. As the fluid, an organic or inorganic substance such as silicon oil, air, water, or jelly can be used.

In the case of a deformable mirror, a variable focal-length lens, or the like using an electrostatic force or a piezoelectric effect, a high voltage may be required for driving. In that case, for example, FIG.
As shown in (1), the control system may be configured using a step-up transformer, a piezoelectric transformer, or the like. In addition, if the reflecting thin film 409a is provided in a portion that is not deformed, it can be conveniently used as a reference surface when measuring the shape of the deformable mirror with an interferometer or the like.

Finally, definitions of terms used in the present invention will be described.

The optical device is a device including an optical system or an optical element. The optical device may not function alone. That is, it may be a part of the device.

The optical device includes an imaging device, an observation device, a display device, a lighting device, a signal processing device, and the like.

Examples of the imaging device include a film camera,
There are a digital camera, a robot eye, an interchangeable lens digital single-lens reflex camera, a television camera, a moving image recording device, an electronic moving image recording device, a camcorder, a VTR camera, and an electronic endoscope. Digital camera, card type digital camera, TV camera,
A VTR camera, a moving image recording camera, and the like are all examples of an electronic imaging device.

Examples of the observation device include a microscope, a telescope,
There are glasses, binoculars, loupes, fiberscopes, finders, viewfinders and the like.

Examples of the display device include a liquid crystal display, a viewfinder, a game machine (PlayStation manufactured by Sony Corporation), a video projector, a liquid crystal projector, and a head mounted image display device (head mo display).
There are undisplayed display (HMD), PDA (portable information terminal), and mobile phone.

Examples of the illuminating device include a camera strobe, a car headlight, an endoscope light source, and a microscope light source.

Examples of the signal processing device include a mobile phone, a personal computer, a game machine, an optical disk reading / writing device,
There are arithmetic units for optical computers and the like.

The image pickup device refers to, for example, a CCD, an image pickup tube, a solid-state image pickup device, a photographic film and the like. Also, the parallel plane plate is included in one of the prisms. The change in the observer includes a change in diopter. To change the subject,
This includes changes in the distance of the object to be the subject, movement of the object, movement of the object, vibration, shake of the object, and the like.

The definition of the extended surface is as follows. In addition to spherical, flat, and rotationally symmetric aspheric surfaces, spherical surfaces decentered with respect to the optical axis, flat surfaces, rotationally symmetric aspheric surfaces, or aspheric surfaces having a symmetric surface, aspheric surfaces having only one symmetric surface, and non-symmetric surfaces having no symmetric surface It may have any shape such as a spherical surface, a free-form surface, a non-differentiable point, or a surface having a line. The surface may be any one of a reflecting surface and a refracting surface as long as it can have some effect on light. In the present invention, these are collectively called an extended curved surface.

The optical characteristics variable optical element includes a variable focus lens, a variable shape mirror, a polarizing prism having a variable surface shape, a vertical angle variable prism, a variable diffractive optical element having a variable light deflecting function, that is, a variable HOE, a variable DOE, and the like. .

The variable focus lens includes a variable lens whose focal length does not change and the amount of aberration changes. The same applies to the deformable mirror. In short, an optical element that can change the light deflecting action such as light reflection, refraction, and diffraction is called an optical characteristic variable optical element.

The information transmitting device includes a remote control such as a mobile phone, a fixed phone, a game machine, a television, a radio and a stereo, a personal computer, a keyboard and a mouse of the personal computer.
Refers to a device capable of inputting and transmitting some information such as a touch panel. It also includes a television monitor equipped with an imaging device, a monitor of a personal computer, and a display. The information transmitting device is included in the signal processing device.

As described above, the optical unit of the present invention has the following features in addition to the invention described in the claims.

(1) An imaging device, an observation device, an electronic imaging device using an optical unit using a leaf spring actuator,
Endoscope, digital camera, TV camera, viewfinder,
Binoculars, mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) or FMDs (Face Mount Displays).

(2) Any one of the shake sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, distance sensor, and diopter sensor
The optical unit according to claim 2, comprising at least one.

(3) An optical unit which performs conversion in the optical axis direction or conversion in the visual field direction using a leaf spring actuator.

(4) An optical device that performs shake correction, conversion in the optical axis direction, or conversion in the visual field direction using a leaf spring actuator and an eccentric optical system.

(5) An optical unit that drives one or more optical elements simultaneously using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(6) An optical unit using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(7) An imaging device using an optical unit using at least one leaf spring actuator, an electronic imaging device, an endoscope, a digital camera, a TV camera, a finder, binoculars, a microscope, a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital) Assistant) or FMD (Face Mount Display).

(8) An optical unit that performs zooming or zooming using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(9) An optical unit that performs zooming or zooming and focus using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(10) An optical unit that drives an optical element using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(11) An optical unit that drives one or more optical elements simultaneously using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(12) An optical unit using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(13) An imaging device using an optical unit using two or more leaf spring actuators, an electronic imaging device, an endoscope, a digital camera, a TV camera, a finder, binoculars, a microscope, a mobile phone, a PDA (personal computer) Digital Assistant) or FMD (Face Mount Display).

(14) An optical unit that performs zooming or zooming using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(15) An optical unit that performs zooming or zooming and focus using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(16) An optical unit having a deformable mirror on a substrate having a movable electrode of a leaf spring actuator.

(17) An optical device using the optical unit according to (16).

(18) An optical unit using a leaf spring actuator in which a substrate having movable electrodes is disposed between substrates having two fixed electrodes.

(19) An imaging device using an optical unit using a leaf spring actuator in which a substrate having a movable electrode is disposed between substrates having two fixed electrodes, an electronic imaging device, an endoscope, a digital camera, and a TV Camera, viewfinder, binoculars, microscope, mobile phone, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or FMD (Face Mount Display).

(20) Focus (compensation of object movement), vibration prevention, correction of assembly error, temperature / humidity using a leaf spring actuator in which a substrate having a movable electrode is arranged between substrates having two fixed electrodes. An optical unit configured to perform at least one of compensation of a change in an optical system due to a change in the magnification, zooming, and diopter adjustment.

(21) A leaf spring actuator including a substrate having at least one fixed electrode and a substrate having at least one movable electrode, and an optical system or an optical element mounted on the substrate having the at least one movable electrode And an optical unit configured to displace at least one optical element constituting the optical system via the leaf spring actuator.

(22) When the leaf spring actuator is 2
The optical unit according to (21), further including: a substrate having two fixed electrodes; and a substrate having one movable electrode disposed between the two fixed electrodes.

(23) Two sets of leaf spring actuators each including a substrate having one fixed electrode and a substrate having one movable electrode are arranged so that the substrates having the movable electrodes face each other. The optical unit according to (21), wherein the optical system is mounted on a substrate having the two movable electrodes.

(24) Substrate Having One Fixed Electrode and One
The optical unit according to (21), further including: a leaf spring actuator including a substrate having two movable electrodes; and the optical element attached to the substrate having one movable electrode.

(25) An optical device using the optical unit according to (21) to (23).

(26) An optical device using a leaf spring actuator.

(27) Focus (compensation of object movement), vibration prevention, correction of assembly error, compensation of changes in the optical system due to changes in temperature, humidity, etc., zooming, zooming, diopter using a leaf spring actuator An optical device adapted to perform at least one or more of the adjustments.

(28) The optical device according to (27), further comprising at least one of a shake sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a distance sensor, and a diopter sensor.

(29) An optical device in which conversion in the optical axis direction or conversion in the visual field direction is performed using a leaf spring actuator.

(30) An optical system in which an optical element is driven using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(31) An optical system in which at least one optical element is driven simultaneously using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(32) An optical device using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(33) Imaging device using at least one leaf spring actuator, electronic imaging device, endoscope, digital camera, TV camera, finder, binoculars, microscope, mobile phone, PDA (personal digital assistant), or FMD (Face mount display).

(34) An optical device that performs zooming or zooming using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(35) An optical device that performs zooming or zooming and focus using at least one leaf spring actuator.

(36) An optical system in which an optical element is driven by using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(37) An optical system in which one or more optical elements are driven simultaneously using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(38) An optical device using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(39) An imaging device using two or more leaf spring actuators, an electronic imaging device, an endoscope, a digital camera, a TV camera, a finder, binoculars, a microscope, a mobile phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant),
Or FMD (face mount display).

(40) An optical device that performs zooming or zooming using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(41) An optical device that performs zooming or zooming and focusing by using two or more leaf spring actuators.

(42) A leaf spring actuator using electromagnetic force.

(43) The above (4) having a permanent magnet and a coil
The leaf spring actuator according to 2).

(44) The above (4) having two or more sets of coils
The leaf spring actuator according to 2).

(45) An optical unit comprising the leaf spring actuator according to (42), wherein the movable member has a coil and the movable member is provided with an optical element.

(46) An optical unit having the leaf spring actuator according to (42), wherein the movable member has a permanent magnet and the movable member is provided with an optical element.

(47) An optical unit having the leaf spring actuator according to (42), wherein the movable member has a coil, the fixed member has a permanent magnet, and the movable member is provided with an optical element.

(48) An optical device using an optical unit having the leaf spring actuator according to any one of (42) to (47).

(49) The optical unit, optical device or optical system according to any one of (1) to (41), wherein the leaf spring actuator is driven by electrostatic force.

(50) The optical unit, optical device or optical system according to any one of (1) to (41), wherein the leaf spring actuator is driven by an electromagnetic force.

[0130]

According to the present invention, focus, zoom,
The power consumption when displacing the optical element in order to perform shake prevention or the like is small, the response speed is high, and highly accurate optical performance can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a basic configuration of a leaf spring actuator used in an optical unit of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 1B is a plan view of a leaf spring portion, and FIG. It is a state explanatory view showing the deformation state of.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a Keplerian finder of a digital camera using an optical characteristic mirror according to another embodiment of the optical device to which the optical unit of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.

9 is an explanatory diagram showing one form of an electrode used for the deformable mirror of the embodiment in FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the electrode used for the deformable mirror of the embodiment in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram showing still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram showing still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram showing still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the winding density of the thin-film coil 427 in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram showing still another embodiment of the deformable mirror 409 applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of arrangement of a coil 427 in the embodiment of FIG.

17 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the coil 427 in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 18 shows a coil 42 in the embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement of permanent magnets 426 suitable for a case where the arrangement of 7 is as shown in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 shows an imaging system using a deformable mirror 409 applicable to an optical unit, for example, a digital camera of a mobile phone, a capsule endoscope, an electronic endoscope, and a personal computer according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an imaging system used in a digital camera, a PDA digital camera, and the like.

FIG. 20 is a schematic configuration diagram of a deformable mirror 188 according to still another embodiment of the deformable mirror applicable to the optical unit of the present invention, in which a fluid 161 is taken in and out by a micropump 180 and a lens surface is deformed. .

FIG. 21 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a micropump applicable to the optical unit of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1A, 1B Leaf spring actuator 10, 11, Substrate having fixed electrode 12, 12A, 12B Substrate having movable electrode 12a Frame member 12b Beam member 13, 21, 31 Optical unit 14 Thin plate member (optical element support) 15 Control electrode 16, 17, 18, 17A, 18A, 17B, 18B
Hole 19 Optical system 32 Imaging optical system 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d, 33e, 33f, 3
3g, 33h, 51a, 51d, 51e, 51f, 51
g, 51h, 51i, 102 Lens 34 Aperture 35 Electronic circuit 36 Drive circuit 36 'Drive circuit for deformable mirror 37 Control circuit 38,408 Solid-state imaging device 41 Variable resistor 44 Computing device 45,415 Temperature sensor 46,416 Humidity sensor 47,417 Distance sensor 48,424 Shake sensor 50 Imaging device 51b, 51c (Eccentric) lens 53 Zoom instruction button 54,188 Deformable mirror 55 Reflecting surface 56 Imaging lens 103 Control system 104 Imaging unit 160,180 Micro pump 161 Fluid 163 Transparent substrate 164 Elastic body 181 Vibration plate 182, 183, 409b, 409d Electrode 184, 185 Valve 189 Reflection film 403 Imaging lens 404 Prism 405 Isosceles right angle prism 406 Mirror 409 Optical characteristic variable shape mirror 409a Thin Film 409c, 409c 'Piezoelectric element 409c-1, 409e Substrate 409c-2 Electrostrictive material 411 Variable resistor 412 Power supply 413 Power switch 414 Arithmetic unit 423 Support base 425, 428 Drive circuit 426 Permanent magnet 427 Coil 901 Eyepiece lens 902 Objective lens

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/232 H04N 5/232 EZ 101: 00 // H04N 101: 00 G02B 7/04 E (72) Inventor Takeshi Nakane 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo F-term in Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. 2H018 BB01 2H043 AA06 AA08 AA20 AA25 2H044 BE01 BE07 BE09 5C022 AB21 AB55 AB66 AC41 AC51 AC78

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical unit using a leaf spring actuator. 2. Using a leaf spring actuator to focus (compensate for movement of an object), prevent vibration, correct assembly errors, compensate for changes in the optical system due to changes in temperature, humidity, etc., change magnification, zoom, and adjust diopter. An optical unit configured to perform at least one of the following. 3. An optical unit configured to drive an optical element using at least one leaf spring actuator.