JPH07270700A - Optical deflector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an inexpensive optical deflector capable of making the size small and making the weight light. CONSTITUTION:A torsion bar 2 is provided on this optical deflector. One end of the torsion bar 2 is rigidly fixed to a fixing part 4, and a mirror 6 is provided on the other end. The torsion bar 2 is virtually bisected by a bisector 10 along an extending direction. A piezoelectric member interposed between an upper and a lower driving electrodes is provided on each virtually bisected piece, so that a torsion driving part 8 is formed. The torsion driving part 8 can be displaced in the reverse direction to each other on both sides or a vertical virtual flat surface 10' formed by normals on the flat surface of the torsion bar 2. The displacement movement of the torsion driving part 8 makes the mirror 6 perform rotating and reciprocating movement around turning shaft 10 as the center as sown by an arrow 12, so that function as the optical deflector can be attained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a device for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotary shaft to deflect light reflected from the mirror. More specifically, the present invention relates to a small optical deflector used in a bar code reader, a laser printer, an optical pickup, an optical measuring device, etc., and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical deflector deflects light reflected from a mirror by driving the mirror to be displaced. As one of known light deflecting devices, there is a device using a polygon mirror. However, it is difficult to reduce the size and weight of the device,
Moreover, since the number of parts is large, it is difficult and expensive to manufacture. In order to solve such a problem, driving a mirror by a displacement element using a piezoelectric member has been studied.

24 to 26 show a known displacement element used in an optical deflecting device of the type described above.

In the displacement element shown in FIG. 24A, the piezoelectric member 110 directs the polarization direction 112 toward the upper electrode 114a,
It is sandwiched between the upper and lower electrodes 114a and 114b. As is generally apparent, the upper and lower electrodes 114
When a voltage is applied to a and 114b as shown in FIG. 24 (A), the piezoelectric member 110 contracts along the direction parallel to the electrodes as shown by an arrow 116, and the voltage is reduced as shown in FIG. 24 (B). Upon application, the piezoelectric member 110 stretches along the direction parallel to the electrodes as indicated by arrow 118.

On the basis of the expansion and contraction principle of the piezoelectric member 110, the bimorph type displacement element shown in FIGS. 25A and 25B has been developed and used.

The displacement element 120 shown in FIG. 25A is called a parallel type bimorph. This displacement element 120
, The upper and lower piezoelectric members 110a, 110b
Are arranged with their polarization directions 112 parallel to each other via the intermediate electrode 114c. The upper electrode 114a is bonded to the upper surface of the upper piezoelectric member 110a, and the lower electrode 114b is bonded to the lower surface of the lower piezoelectric member 110b. Such a parallel bimorph 120 has electrodes 114
One end surface perpendicular to a, 114b, 114c has a fixed portion 122.
It is elastically fixed to. Each electrode 114a, 114b, 1
When the voltage shown in FIG. 25A is applied to 14c, the free end facing the fixed end of the bimorph 120 is indicated by the arrow 118.
Displace in the direction indicated by. On the other hand, when voltages of opposite signs are applied to the respective electrodes 154a, 154b, 154c,
Displacement in the direction 116 opposite to the displacement direction 118 occurs.

In the displacement element 124 shown in FIG. 25 (B), the intermediate electrode 114c and the lower piezoelectric member 110b in the displacement element 120 of FIG. 25 (A) are omitted, and the upper piezoelectric member 110a and the elastic deformation member 126 are replaced. It is joined via the lower electrode 114b. Upper piezoelectric member 114
The polarization direction 112 of a is directed to the upper electrode 114a. Such a displacement element 124 has a direction 116 and its opposite direction 11 in the same manner as the displacement element 120 of FIG.
A displacement of 8 can be generated.

In the displacement element 128 shown in FIG. 26, the intermediate electrode 1 in the displacement element 120 of FIG.
14c is omitted, and the upper and lower piezoelectric members 110a, 1a
The polarization directions 112a and 112b of 10b are opposite to each other. That is, the polarization direction 1 of the upper piezoelectric member 114a
12a is directed to the upper electrode 114a, and the lower piezoelectric member 1
The polarization direction 112b of 10b is directed to the lower electrode 114b. Even in such a displacement element 128, as shown in FIG.
In the same manner as the displacement element 120 of 5 (A), displacement in the direction 116 and its opposite direction 118 can be generated.

The displacement element 124 of FIG. 25B can use an elastic deformation member 126 having a larger elastic deformation characteristic in place of the lower piezoelectric member 110b, and the displacement element of FIG. It is clear that the driving force and the displacement amount can be made larger than 120. Similarly, the displacement element 128 of FIG. 26 includes the upper and lower piezoelectric members 110a, 110
Obviously, by making the polarization directions 112a and 112b of b opposite to each other, the driving force and the amount of displacement can be made larger than those of the displacement element 120 of FIG.

In these known displacement elements, it is known that the piezoelectric member is not limited to a single crystal material, and the same effect as described above can be obtained even if a polycrystalline material is used.

An example of an optical deflecting device using such a displacement element is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-139414.

27 and 28 show the optical deflecting device disclosed in the above publication.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 27A, the elastically deformable member 130 made of a metal plate has a pair of fixed walls 132 at both ends.
It is elastically fixed to a and 132b. A mirror 134 is arranged at a substantially central portion of one surface of the elastically deformable member 130. Further, the ferroelectric polycrystalline piezoelectric elements 13 are sandwiched on both sides of the elastically deformable member 130 so as to sandwich the mirrors 134, respectively.
6a and 136b are arranged. Piezoelectric element 136a,
136b acts as a bimorph, and the bending deformation shown in FIG. 27B occurs due to the voltage application. Therefore, FIG.
In the device of (A), by applying a DC voltage from a DC power supply 138 to the left and right bimorphs sandwiching the mirror 134 and deforming them in the opposite direction, a displacement indicated by a wavy line 140 in FIG. 27A is induced. Then, the mirror surface rotates in a plane along the paper surface, and the light reflected from the mirror 134 can be deflected.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 28A, the elastically deformable member 130 made of a metal plate has a pair of fixed walls 132 at both ends.
It is elastically fixed to a and 132b. A mirror 134 is arranged at a substantially central portion of one surface of the elastically deformable member 130. Further, lithium niobate ferroelectric single crystal piezoelectric elements 142a and 142b are arranged on both sides of the elastically deformable member 130 so as to sandwich the mirror 134, respectively. The lithium niobate ferroelectric single crystal piezoelectric elements 142a and 142b are processed as thin pieces cut out along the crystal axis of the lithium niobate whose polarization directions are aligned. In such a device, the piezoelectric element 14
2a and 142b act as surface sliding elements, and a torsional deformation shown in FIG. 28B occurs when a voltage is applied. Therefore, in the device of FIG. 28A, by deforming the left and right surface sliding elements 142a and 142b sandwiching the mirror 134 in the same direction, a displacement indicated by a wavy line 144 in FIG. Is rotated, and the reflected light from the mirror 134 can be deflected in a plane perpendicular to the paper surface.

[0015]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention FIGS. 27 (A) and 2
In the device shown in FIG. 7 (B), the pair of fixed walls 132a, 1a
The mirror 134 and the piezoelectric elements 142a and 142b are arranged on the surface of the elastically deformable member 130 attached between the parts 32b. Fixed walls 132 are provided at both ends of the elastic deformation member 130.
Since a and 132b are present, the component mountable region of the elastically deformable member 130 is limited, and it is difficult to integrate the light source and other optical elements.

On the other hand, in the surface sliding elements 142a and 142b shown in FIGS. 28A and 28B, it is necessary to set the polarization direction of the ferroelectric substance forming the surface sliding element in a direction parallel to the electrodes. However, the size of the ferroelectric substance in this direction is large, and it is extremely difficult to polarize the ferroelectric substance after it is formed.

Therefore, the surface sliding elements 142a, 142
b must be processed as a thin piece cut out along the crystal axis from the ferroelectric single crystal whose polarization direction is aligned as described above, and is very expensive due to the difficulty of its manufacture. Become.

Further, since it is necessary to use a single crystal as described above, it cannot be formed by a thin film forming method such as sputtering, and a precise assembling process is required. As a result, it is difficult to manufacture the optical deflector and it is difficult to reduce the size and weight.

The present invention is generally directed to overcoming the problems of the prior art described above. That is, the first object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive optical deflector which can be made compact and lightweight.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an optical deflector capable of biaxial deflection.

A third object of the present invention is to provide an optical deflecting device which can be easily integrated with an optical element such as a light source.

[0022]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light deflecting device for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotation axis to deflect light reflected from the mirror.
The optical deflector includes a plate-shaped displacement element having a fixed end that is elastically fixed and a free end that supports the mirror, and the displacement element is sandwiched between an elastically deformable plate and a pair of plate-shaped drive electrodes. And a piezoelectric driving plate joined to at least one surface of the elastically deformable plate, the piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric member polarized in a direction normal to a plate surface of the displacement element, wherein the displacement element has a rotation axis and a normal line. It is characterized in that it is configured such that it can be displaced in opposite directions with respect to an imaginary plane that is defined so as to extend along the direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the mirror is driven to displace about the first and second rotation axes which are orthogonal to each other,
Provided is a biaxial light deflecting device that deflects reflected light from a mirror in biaxial directions. This biaxial optical deflector includes a first plate-shaped displacement element having a fixed end that is elastically fixed and a free end that supports the mirror, and the first displacement element is the first elastically deformable plate. A first elastic member which is joined to at least one surface of the first elastically deformable plate and is sandwiched by a pair of first plate-shaped drive electrodes, and which is polarized in the normal direction of the plate surface of the first displacement element. A first piezoelectric drive plate including a piezoelectric member of the first displacement element, the first displacement element being defined so as to extend along the normal direction of the plate surface and the first rotation axis. And a second plate-shaped displacement element elastically fixed in the vicinity of the first displacement element.
The second displacement element includes a second elastic deformation plate and a second elastic deformation plate.
A second piezoelectric member that is bonded to at least one surface of the elastically deformable plate and is sandwiched between a pair of second plate-shaped drive electrodes, and that is polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the second displacement element. Second
And a second displacing element, the second displacing element having a second imaginary plane defined as extending along the normal direction of the plate surface and the second rotation axis as a boundary. It is characterized in that it can be displaced in the opposite direction.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical deflecting device integrated on a semiconductor single crystal substrate for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotation axis to deflect light reflected from the mirror. It This optical deflector uses the anisotropic etching from one surface of the substrate to form the first inclined portion formed along the crystal plane of the substrate and the anisotropic etching from the other surface of the substrate to perform the anisotropic etching. The substrate having a second inclined part formed along the crystal plane of the substrate and facing the first inclined part and being parallel to each other, one end and the other end, and one end of which is the first inclined part. A first elastically deformable member joined to the other surface of the
A second elastically deformable member having one end and the other end, one end of which is joined to the other surface of the substrate of the second inclined portion; the other end of the first elastically deformable member and the second elastically deformable member; An inclined connecting portion formed on the substrate by anisotropic etching of the substrate and having the mirror bonded thereto so as to have an inclined surface connecting the other end of the member, and a pair of first drive electrodes. A first piezoelectric drive plate sandwiching the first piezoelectric member and joined to the first elastically deformable member, and a second piezoelectric member sandwiched by the pair of second drive electrodes, and a second elastically deformable member. A second piezoelectric drive plate joined to the member, wherein the central axes of the mirror, the first and second elastically deforming portions, and the first and second piezoelectric drive plates are coaxial with the rotary shaft. It is characterized by being.

In the present invention, the term "ferroelectric member" means a piezoelectric member whose polarization direction can be reversed by a predetermined method.

In the present invention, the term "elastically deformable plate" means
It is meant to include the torsion bar.

[0027]

According to the optical deflecting device of the first aspect, the displacement elements are displaced in opposite directions with respect to the virtual plane as a boundary, so that the displacement element is twisted about the rotation axis and reciprocally rotated. To do. Therefore, the mirror supported by the displacement element also pivotally reciprocates similarly to the displacement element to deflect the light reflected from the mirror.

According to the two-axis optical deflector of claim 2,
The first and second displacement elements are displaced in opposite directions with the virtual planes corresponding to the first and second virtual planes, which are orthogonal to each other as boundaries, respectively, so that the first and second displacement elements are orthogonal to each other. It is twisted about the rotation axis of 2 and reciprocally rotates. Therefore, the mirrors supported by the first and second displacement elements rotate and reciprocate in the biaxial directions to deflect the reflected light from the mirrors in the biaxial directions.

According to the optical deflecting device of the third aspect, since the respective constituent elements which form the optical deflecting device are formed on the semiconductor single crystal substrate, the optical deflecting device integrated on the semiconductor single crystal substrate is formed. It

[0030]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The optical deflector has a torsion bar 2 or an elastically deformable member 2 '. The torsion bar or the elastically deformable member (represented by the elastically deformable member in the first embodiment) has one end and the other end, one end of which is rigidly fixed to the fixing portion 4 and the other end of which is provided with a mirror 6. ing. This elastically deformable member 2'is provided with a piezoelectric member and a drive electrode as described later,
It is formed as a twist drive 8. The torsion drive unit 8 is displaceable in opposite directions on both sides of a virtual plane 10 'perpendicular to the plane of the elastically deformable member 2'. The details of the twist drive unit 8 will be described later.

Due to the displacement movement of the torsion drive unit 8, the mirror 6 reciprocates about the rotation axis 10 as shown by an arrow 12, thereby achieving the function as an optical deflector.

The range of the rotational reciprocating motion of the mirror 6, that is, the deflection range is set to a desired size by appropriately setting the lengths of the elastically deformable member 2'and the torsion drive unit 8 along the rotation axis. Can be adjusted.

Further, by arranging the torsion drive unit 8, the elastic deformation member 2'and the mirror 6 symmetrically with respect to the rotary shaft 10, the displacement of the rotary shaft 10 is reduced. as a result,
The change in the optical axis of the light beam reflected and deflected by the mirror 6 is reduced.

Such an optical deflector can be mass-produced by utilizing a known semiconductor IC manufacturing technique such as a sputtering film forming method or a photolithography method. Furthermore, since the device configuration is extremely simple, it is lightweight and inexpensive, and can be miniaturized.

With reference to FIG. 2, the torsion drive unit 8 in FIG. 1 will be described in more detail. One elongated elastically deformable member 2 ′ whose one end is rigidly fixed to the fixed portion 4 is virtually divided into two by a bisector 14 along the extending direction. The bisector 14 coincides with the rotating shaft 10.

The piezoelectric member 16 sandwiched between the upper and lower drive electrodes 18 and 20 is provided on one virtual segment, and the piezoelectric member 16 sandwiched between the upper and lower drive electrodes 24 and 26 on the other virtual segment. A member 22 is provided. The polarization direction of the piezoelectric member is perpendicular to the electrodes and provided in the same direction.
Therefore, the optical deflecting device of FIG. 2 has two sets of displacement elements.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the above-mentioned two lower electrodes 20 and 26 are grounded, and the above-mentioned two upper electrodes 1 are connected.
When voltages having different signs and equal absolute values are applied to the terminals 18a and 24a of 8 and 24, due to the characteristics of the bimorph type displacement element, as shown by the wavy line 28 in FIG. Deformation occurs. Upper electrodes 18, 24
If the sign of the voltage applied to is changed, torsional deformation opposite to that of the wavy line 28 occurs. Further, as shown in FIG.
When a voltage from the AC power supply 18b is applied to the two upper electrodes 18 and 24, the above-mentioned two displacements in the opposite directions are alternately generated, and a rotary reciprocating motion with the bisector 14 as a rotation axis occurs.
A torsional drive is obtained.

Here, Zn is used as the piezoelectric members 16 and 22.
As the O, torsion bar 2 or elastic deformation member 2 ', silicon single crystal, silicon nitride or polyimide can be used. However, the present invention is not limited to these materials, and various materials having the same characteristics as these materials can be used, and this is the same for all the examples described later. 4 (A) shows a second embodiment of the torsion drive unit 8. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the elastically deformable member 2'is provided with a single lower electrode 30 and a single piezoelectric member 32 without dividing the elastically deformable member 2'into two parts. That is. Piezoelectric member 3
The second polarization direction 34 is a direction perpendicular to the electrode 30, and the first and second upper electrodes 36 and 38 are provided along the rotation axis 10 so as to divide the elastically deformable member 2 ′ into two parts. The lower electrode 30 is grounded, and the terminals 3 of the two upper electrodes 36 and 38 are
6a and 38a are applied with voltages having different signs and equal absolute values, or if an AC voltage is applied between the two upper electrodes 36 and 38, the same deformation as in the first embodiment occurs and the twisting occurs. It becomes possible to drive. In the present embodiment, since the lower electrode 30 and the piezoelectric member 32 can be formed without being divided, the device configuration is simplified and its manufacture is facilitated.

FIG. 4B shows a third embodiment of the twist drive section 8. The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is that a pair of piezoelectric members 32a and 32b are arranged so as to sandwich the lower electrode 30 without using the elastic deformation member 2 '. The polarization directions 34 of the pair of piezoelectric members 32a and 32b are both perpendicular to the electrode 30, and the surfaces of the pair of piezoelectric members 32a and 32b opposite to the lower electrode 30 are
The first to fourth upper electrodes 36, 38, 40, so as to divide the piezoelectric members 32a, 32b along the rotary shaft 10.
42 are provided. The lower electrode 30 is grounded, and the upper electrodes 36, 38, 4 facing each other with the lower electrode 30 in between are grounded.
0 and 42 are connected to each other to make them conductive, and a voltage having a different sign and an equal absolute value is applied to the two terminals 44 and 46, or an AC voltage is applied between the two terminals 44 and 46. The same deformation as that of the first embodiment occurs, and torsional driving becomes possible.

In this embodiment, since the torsion bar and the twisting drive portion 8 can be formed without using the elastically deformable member 2 ', the same effect as that of the second embodiment, that is, the device structure is simplified. The effect of facilitating its production is achieved. Further, in this embodiment, as described above, the driving force and the driving range can be increased.

FIG. 5A shows a fourth embodiment of the twist drive section 8. In this embodiment, two lower electrodes 30 shown in the third embodiment (FIG. 4 (B)) are arranged, and an elastically deformable member 2'is arranged between them.
Is arranged. Ground the two lower electrodes 30,
Voltages with different signs and equal absolute values are applied to the two terminals 44 and 46, which are formed by connecting the first to fourth upper electrodes 36, 38, 40 and 42 facing each other with the two lower electrodes sandwiched therebetween and making them conductive. Apply these two terminals 44, 4
When an AC voltage is applied during 6, the same deformation as in the first embodiment occurs, and torsional driving becomes possible. In the present embodiment, the same effect as that of the third embodiment, especially when it is necessary to form the torsion bar using the elastically deformable member 2 ',
That is, it is possible to increase the driving force and the driving range.

FIG. 5 (B) shows a fifth embodiment of the twist drive section 8. In this embodiment, the two piezoelectric members 32a and 32b are used.
However, they are bonded so that their polarization directions are opposite to each other and are perpendicular to the joint surface. The piezoelectric member 32a,
First to fourth upper electrodes 36, 38, 40, 42 are provided in a divided manner on the surface of the joint surface 32b opposed to the joint surface with the rotary shaft 10 interposed therebetween.

Two upper electrodes 3 facing each other with the joint surface in between.
6, 38; 40, 42 are connected to each other to make two terminals 44, 46 respectively, and voltages having different signs and equal absolute values are applied, or an AC voltage is applied between the two terminals 44, 46. Then, the same deformation as that of the first embodiment occurs, and the torsional drive becomes possible. In this embodiment, the torsion bar and the torsional drive can be formed without using the elastic deformation member 2'and the lower electrode 30, and the same effects as those of the second and third embodiments can be obtained.

FIG. 6A shows a sixth embodiment of the twist drive section 8. In this embodiment, the polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 is used as the piezoelectric member. Lead titanate, for example, is used as the polycrystalline ferroelectric member. This also applies to each of the following embodiments. In FIG. 6A, the upper electrode 50, the lower electrode 30, and the polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 are arranged without dividing the elastically deformable member 2 ′ with respect to the torsion bar made of the elastically deformable member 2 ′. . Here, the ferroelectric member means a member capable of reversing the polarization direction by a predetermined method using a piezoelectric member.

The polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 is arranged with its polarization direction 52 perpendicular to the electrodes 30 and 50, and the polarization direction is reversed with the rotary shaft 10 interposed therebetween. Similar to the first embodiment, if voltages having different signs and equal absolute values are applied to the terminals 30 'and 50' of the lower and upper electrodes 30 and 50 or an AC voltage is applied between the two electrodes 30 and 50, respectively. Is deformed, and torsional driving becomes possible.

In this embodiment, the lower and upper electrodes 30, 5 are
0, it can be formed without dividing the piezoelectric member,
The same effect as the second embodiment is achieved.

The polarization direction 5 of the polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48
The inversion of 2 can be easily performed by a method of bringing a conductive member having a predetermined potential into contact with an arbitrary part of the upper surface of the polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 before forming the upper electrode 50. Further, the polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 is not limited to the polycrystalline material, and the same effect can be obtained by using a single crystal material. The method of inverting the polarization direction of this polycrystalline ferroelectric member and its material are the same in the following examples.

FIG. 6 (B) shows a seventh embodiment of the twist drive section 8. In this embodiment, polycrystalline ferroelectric members 48a and 48b are used as piezoelectric members. The first lower electrode 30a, the first polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48a, and the first upper electrode 50a are laminated on the upper surface of the torsion bar made of the elastically deformable member 2'without dividing the elastically deformable member 2 '. Has been done. A second lower electrode 30b, a second polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48b, and a second upper electrode 50b are laminated on the lower surface of the elastic deformation member 2'without dividing the elastic deformation member 2 '. Polycrystalline ferroelectric members 48a, 4
The polarization direction 52 of 8b is defined by the electrodes 30a, 30b, 50a,
50b, and the polarization direction is reversed with the rotating shaft 10 sandwiched between the polycrystalline ferroelectric members 48a,
The portions facing each other with the 48b in between are arranged so as to have the same polarization direction. First and second lower electrodes 30a, 3
0b is grounded, and voltages having different signs and equal absolute values are applied to the first and second upper electrodes 50a and 50b, or an AC voltage is applied between the two upper electrodes 50a and 50b. The same deformation as that of the embodiment occurs, and torsional driving becomes possible.

In this embodiment, especially when it is necessary to form the torsion bar using the elastically deformable member,
As described above, the same effect as the third embodiment can be achieved.

Further, in this embodiment, the upper electrodes 50a, 5
0b, the lower electrodes 30a and 30b, and the piezoelectric member can be formed without dividing, and the same effect as the second embodiment can be achieved.

FIG. 7 shows an eighth embodiment of the twist drive section 8. In this embodiment, a polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 is used as the piezoelectric member. This embodiment is the seventh embodiment (see FIG. 6).
In (B), the elastic deformation member 2'is omitted, and the lower electrode 30 is commonly used. The same deformation can be obtained by applying the same voltage to each electrode as in the seventh embodiment. In this embodiment, the upper electrodes 50a and 50b, the lower electrode 30 and the piezoelectric member can be formed without dividing them.
Further, the torsion bar can be formed from the polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 without using an elastically deformable member,
The same effects as those of the second and third embodiments can be achieved.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9A show a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the optical deflector has a torsion bar 2 made of an elastically deformable member. The fixed end of the torsion bar 2 is elastically fixed to the fixed portion 4,
A mirror 6 is placed and fixed near the free end. The torsion bar 2 includes a first elastically deformable plate 2 and a second elastically deformable plate 2 which are thinly laterally extended symmetrically with respect to a center line 14 thereof.
a and 2b. As shown in FIG. 9A, the seventh embodiment (FIG. 6B) is applied to the two elastically deformable plates 2a and 2b.
Polycrystalline ferroelectric material (piezoelectric material) 48a, 48
By arranging b and the drive electrodes 30a, 30b, 50a, 50b, two bending drive parts 60a, 60b that can be bent in a direction perpendicular to the center line 14 are formed.

As shown in FIG. 9A, when the lower electrodes 30a and 30b are grounded and a voltage is applied to the terminals 50a 'and 50b' of the upper electrodes 50a and 50b, as shown in FIG. The deformation shown by the broken line 62 in FIG. Therefore, when an AC voltage is applied between the two upper electrodes 50a and 50b, the deformation indicated by the wavy line 62 and the opposite deformation alternately occur corresponding to the period. Due to this deformation, the torsion bar 2 moves its center line 14 around the rotation axis 1.
It is twisted as 0, and as a result, the mirror 6 attached to the torsion bar 2 is rotated, whereby the light beam reflected by the mirror 6 is deflected.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the torsion bar 2 and the bending drive parts 60a and 60b are used.
The range of rotational reciprocating motion can be adjusted by appropriately setting the length in the direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft 14.
Further, similarly to the first embodiment, by disposing the bending driving units 60a and 60b, the torsion bar 2 and the mirror 6 with respect to the rotary shaft 14, the displacement of the rotary shaft 10 is reduced. As a result, the change in the optical axis of the light beam reflected and deflected by the mirror 6 is reduced. Also, the manufacturing effect thereof is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9B shows a tenth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the ninth embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. The tenth embodiment has three differences from the ninth embodiment. The first difference is that the insulator 62 is arranged on the rotating shaft 10.

The second difference is that the polycrystalline ferroelectric members (piezoelectric members) 48a and 48b are arranged with the insulators 62 in between, with the polarization directions reversed. The third difference is that the upper and lower electrodes 5 common to each of the ferroelectric members 48a and 48b.
0 and 30 are arranged. According to this embodiment,
By applying an AC voltage between the pair of driving electrodes 30 and 50, the same effect as that of the ninth embodiment can be achieved. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the electrodes and the wirings thereof are reduced, the device structure is further simplified.

FIG. 10 shows an eleventh embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the ninth and tenth embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, one polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 sandwiched by the pair of drive electrodes 50 and 30 is arranged on the elastically deformable plate portion 70.
Here, the ferroelectric members 48a and 48b are arranged so that the polarization directions are reversed with the rotary shaft 10 interposed therebetween. By applying an alternating voltage between the pair of electrodes 50, 30,
The same effect as the tenth embodiment is achieved. Moreover, since only one polycrystalline ferroelectric member 48 is required, the device structure is further simplified.

FIG. 11 shows a twelfth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in the ninth embodiment (FIG. 8) are designated by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 11, one end of the torsion bar 2 is rigidly supported by the fixed portion 4 about the rotation shaft 14 thereof. An elastically deformable plate 2a 'is provided at the free end of the torsion bar 2 with its central axis coaxial with the rotating shaft 14. A mirror 6 is arranged at the center of this elastically deformable plate 2a '. Further, the elastically deformable plate 2a 'has two bending drive parts 60a, 60 symmetrically sandwiching the rotary shaft 14 therebetween.
b is formed.

According to this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the ninth embodiment can be achieved. Also, of course, the bending drive unit 60
The a and 60b can adopt various designs described in the ninth embodiment, and an effect corresponding to the design can be expected.

FIG. 12 shows an optical deflector according to the 13th embodiment of the present invention. The mirror 6 includes the first and second torsion bars 2
It is coaxially supported by one end of a and 2b. The other ends of the first and second torsion bars 2a and 2b are rigidly supported by the fixed portions 4a and 4b, respectively. The piezoelectric drive plate 64a is joined to the surface of the first torsion bar 2a, and forms a twist drive portion 8a in which the mirror 6 can be rotationally displaced about the rotary shaft 10. This device can also achieve the same effect as the first embodiment.

Further, in this embodiment, since the mirror 6 is supported by the torsion bars 2a and 2b, it is possible to reduce the displacement in the unnecessary direction when driving the mirror. Of course, the twisting drive unit can be replaced with the twisting drive unit 8 described in the first to twelfth embodiments, and an effect corresponding to each twisting drive unit can be expected. This also applies to the following 14th to 16th embodiments.

FIG. 13 shows an optical deflector according to the 14th embodiment of the present invention. The same components as in the twelfth embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. The difference between the thirteenth embodiment and the twelfth embodiment is that the piezoelectric drive plate 64b is also joined to the second torsion bar 2b, and the mirror 6 with the rotary shaft 10 as the center.
Forms a second torsional drive portion 8b that can be rotationally displaced. First and second torsion drive units 8a, 8b
Are driven synchronously so as to displace the mirror 6 in the same direction. According to this embodiment, in addition to the effect of the twelfth embodiment, the mirror driving force is increased, the driving range of the mirror 6 is expanded, and the displacement of the mirror 6 can be stabilized.

FIG. 14 shows a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention. According to the present embodiment, a two-axis optical deflecting device capable of biaxially driving the mirror 6 is provided by combining two sets of basic structures capable of uniaxially driving the mirror 6, respectively. In FIG. 14, the mirror 6 is coaxially supported by the first and second torsion bars 2a and 2b so as to be displaceable around the first rotation shaft 10a. The first and second torsion bars 2a and 2b are fixed to the first rectangular frame 66a. The first frame 66a is provided on the second rotating shaft 10
It is coaxially supported by the third and fourth torsion bars 2c and 2d so as to be displaceable around b. Here, the second rotating shaft 10b is orthogonal to the first rotating shaft 10a,
Moreover, it is set so as to intersect at the center of the mirror 6.
Therefore, along the first and second rotation shafts 10a and 10b,
Two virtual planes (not shown) defined in the normal direction
Are also orthogonal to each other.

Third and fourth torsion bars 2c, 2d
Are fixedly provided on the second rectangular frame 66b. The second rectangular frame 66b is located inside the first rectangular frame 66a and is integral with the first rectangular frame 66a.

Furthermore, the first and third torsion bars 2a,
2d has piezoelectric drive plates 64a, 64 on its surface, respectively.
d is joined to form two torsional drive parts 8a and 8b similar to the torsional drive part 8a of the thirteenth embodiment.

According to this embodiment, the biaxial optical deflector can be easily manufactured using a single substrate.

Furthermore, the fourteenth embodiment (FIG. 13) is added to this embodiment.
By applying the second and third torsion bar 2
b and 2c can be formed as the third and fourth torsional drive portions, respectively, and the same effect as that of the fourteenth embodiment can be achieved.

Further, it is possible to omit the second and third torsion bars 2b and 2c by using the basic structure shown in the first embodiment (FIG. 1).

FIG. 15 shows a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, an optical deflecting device forming a vibration system having two degrees of freedom is provided. In FIG. 15, a first plate-shaped portion 68a,
The second plate-like portion 68b having the mirror 6 bonded to the surface thereof,
It is coaxially supported by the first to third torsion bars 2a, 2b, 2c so as to be displaceable around the rotating shaft 10.

A first end of which supports the first plate-like portion 68a.
The other end of the torsion bar 2a is rigidly supported by the fixed portion 4a. The other end of the third torsion bar 2c, one end of which supports the second plate-shaped portion 68b, is rigidly supported by the fixed portion 4b facing the fixed portion 4a. Second torsion bar 2b
Connects the first and second plate-shaped portions 68a and 68b.

The first torsion bar 2a is formed as a torsional drive portion 8a as shown in the thirteenth embodiment (FIG. 12) by bonding the piezoelectric drive plate 64a to the surface thereof.

Such an optical deflecting device forming a two-degree-of-freedom oscillating system can be used for each of the torsion bars 2a, 2b, 2c, as is clear from the literatures such as "Mechanical Engineering Handbook" A3-47 and the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. The amplitude ratio between the first and second plate-shaped portions 68a and 68b can be adjusted by adjusting physical conditions such as the size of the plate-shaped portions 68a and 68b. Therefore, it is possible to make the amplitude of the second plate-shaped portion 68b having the mirror 6 larger than the amplitude of the driven first plate-shaped portion 68a. As a result, the displacement range of the mirror 6 is expanded, and the light deflection range can be expanded. Furthermore, thirteenth
The same effect as the embodiment can be achieved.

FIG. 16 shows a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment provides an optical deflector forming a vibration system with two degrees of freedom as in the sixteenth embodiment. The difference of this embodiment from the sixteenth embodiment is that the first torsion bar 2a is twisted by the drive unit 8a.
Instead of being formed as, the piezoelectric drive plates 64a and 64b are symmetrically disposed on the surface of the first plate-shaped portion 68a with the rotary shaft 10 interposed therebetween.
That is, the bending driving portions 60a and 60b similar to those in the twelfth embodiment (FIG. 11) are formed by joining the above.

According to this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the 16th embodiment can be achieved, and further, the 13th embodiment (FIG. 1).
2), 14th embodiment (FIG. 13) and 16th embodiment (FIG. 1)
The same effect as 5) can be achieved.

Further, as the bending drive section, various designs as described in the ninth to twelfth embodiments (FIGS. 8 to 11) can be adopted, and the effects corresponding to each design can be expected. To be done.

17A and 17B show an eighteenth embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment provides an inexpensive optical deflector which can be easily integrated with other optical elements, can be reduced in size and weight.

In the optical deflecting device of FIG. 17A, the crystal substrate 70 is partially thinned by crystal anisotropic etching, so that the first and second elastically deforming portions 72a, 72a.
2b is formed. The crystal substrate 70 is preferably a silicon semiconductor single crystal substrate, and this is the same in the following examples.

First and second elastically deformable portions 72a and 72b
An insulating film 76 made of a silicon oxide film or the like is formed on the substrate surface including the inclined connecting portion (rigid portion) 74.

The elastically deformable portions 72a and 72b are provided with a pair of piezoelectric members 78a and 7 opposed to each other with a space left and right in the drawing.
8b and drive electrodes 80a, 80b; 80c, 80d sandwiching the piezoelectric members 78a, 78b, respectively.

The piezoelectric member 78a and the drive electrodes 80a and 80b in the first elastically deformable portion 72a form a first bimorph 82a, and the piezoelectric member 78b and the drive electrodes 80c and 80d in the second elastically deformable portion 72b are the second bimorph. 82b is formed. Two elastically deformable parts 72
The mirror 6 is arranged in the rigid portion 74 connecting the a and 72b. A recess 84 is formed on the surface of the substrate 70 by crystal anisotropic etching. An edge-emitting semiconductor laser diode (L
A light source 86 made of D) and a collimator lens 88 made of glass are joined together.

Now, as shown by a wavy line 90 in FIG. 17B, a pair of opposing first and second bimorphs 82a, 82a, 8a.
2b is deformed in the opposite direction, and the mirror 6 is rotated while the rotation shaft 94 is substantially maintained. In this case, the light from the light source 86 on the substrate 70 is reflected by the collimator lens 88 to the mirror 6
The parallel incident light 92 can be reflected and deflected by the rotating mirror 6.

The deformation of the piezoelectric members 78a and 78b and the elastically deformable portions 72a and 72b is as described in the sixth embodiment.
This is possible by arbitrarily setting the polarization direction and applied voltage.

The optical deflecting device of this embodiment can be mass-produced by known semiconductor IC manufacturing techniques such as crystal anisotropic etching, sputter film forming method and photolithography method. For example, for two adjacent areas of substrate 70,
By performing crystal anisotropic etching from both sides of the substrate, the substrate surface portion in one region is made into the first elastically deformable portion 7.
2aa, and the back surface portion of the other region of the substrate is used as the second elastically deforming portion 72b, and an inclined connecting portion 74 that connects in the substrate thickness direction can be formed at the boundary of these elastically deforming portions. In this case, the mirror 6 is joined to the plate surface of the inclined connecting portion 74, and the piezoelectric members 78a and 78b and the drive electrodes 80a and 8 are attached to the plate surfaces of the pair of elastically deforming portions 72a and 72b.
It suffices to bond 0b, 80c, and 80d. At this time, for example, when the crystal substrate made of silicon has a plane orientation of (100) and potassium hydroxide or the like is used as the crystal anisotropic etching solution, the substrate crystal is formed in the inclined connecting portion 74 of the pair of elastically deforming portions 72a and 72ba. The <111> plane of appears and its angle with respect to the substrate surface is about 54 degrees. Therefore, by adjusting the plane orientation of the crystal substrate, the angle of the plate surface of the inclined connecting portion 74 forming the mirror 6 with respect to the surface of the substrate 70 is uniquely determined, and no error in the manufacturing method is included. For this reason, the light deflection angle with respect to the substrate 70 in a state where the mirror 6 is not driven can be made extremely low depending on the product.

It is clear that the device structure of this embodiment is extremely simple and lightweight and can be miniaturized.

18 to 20 show a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those of the eighteenth embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. The difference between this embodiment and the eighteenth embodiment is that the elastic deformation portions 72a, 72b are not thinned in order to have elastic deformation characteristics, but elastic deformation independent of the portions 72a, 72b is performed. That is, the members 96a and 96b are used.

Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, the structure of the optical deflecting device shown in FIG. 18 will be described along with its manufacturing process.

The first and second elastically deforming portions 72a and 72b and the inclined connecting portion 74 are formed on the crystal substrate 70 in the same manner as in the eighteenth embodiment, and the mirror 6 is arranged. However, the first and second elastically deformable portions 72a and 72b are
It is not necessary to make it as thin as the eight examples (FIG. 19).
(A)).

Then, the first and second elastically deformable portions 72 are formed.
A member 9 having elastic deformation characteristics with respect to the plate surfaces of a and 72b.
6a, 96b, piezoelectric members 78a, 78b and drive electrode 8
0a, 80b, 80c, 80d are joined (FIG. 19).
(B) Except for the surface of the pair of elastically deformable portions 72a, 72b opposite to the side on which the elastically deformable members 96a, 96b are provided,
The substrate 70 is covered with a protective film 98 such as a resist (FIG. 2).
0 (A)).

Further, the basic structure of the optical deflecting device is manufactured by removing the protective film 98 after etching and removing the substrate 70 at the elastically deforming portions 72a and 72b (FIG. 20B). The other structure is similar to that of the eighteenth embodiment.

In this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the 18th embodiment can be achieved. Particularly in this embodiment, the elastic deformation members 96a and 96b having appropriate deformation characteristics are provided.
By selecting, the drive range of the mirror 6 can be further expanded as compared with the eighteenth embodiment.

21 to 23 show a twentieth embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those of the eighteenth embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals.

With reference to FIGS. 22 and 23, the structure of the optical deflecting device shown in FIG. 21 will be described along with its manufacturing process.

The crystal substrate 70 is subjected to crystal anisotropic etching from one surface side to form the first pit 102a having the slope 100 (FIG. 22A).

With respect to the slope 100, a member 96a having elastic deformation characteristics, a piezoelectric member 78a, and drive electrodes 80a, 8
0b and the mirror 6 are arranged (FIG. 22 (B)).

Thereafter, except for the substrate surface adjacent to the slope 100, the substrate 70 is covered with a protective film 98 such as a resist,
The second pit 102b is formed by crystal anisotropic etching, and the substrate member forming the slope 100 is removed (FIG. 23A).

Next, the protective film 98 is removed, and the cantilever 104 which can be bent and deformed is formed in the first pit 102a.
Are formed at a predetermined angle (FIG. 23 (B)).

The mirror 6 is arranged on the cantilever 104,
A concave portion 84 is formed on the plate surface of the substrate 70 by crystal anisotropic etching.
And a light source 86 and a collimator lens 88 similar to those in the seventeenth embodiment are joined to the bottom surface of the recess 84. As a result, the optical deflector having the structure shown in FIG. 21 is manufactured.

In this optical deflecting device, a pair of drive electrodes 80 are used based on the modification principle of the eighteenth embodiment (FIG. 17).
The cantilever 104 is bent by applying an arbitrary voltage to a and 80b. As a result, the angle of the mirror 6 changes. Therefore, the light emitted from the light source 86 on the substrate 70 can be deflected in the same manner as in the eighteenth embodiment,
The same effect as the 18th embodiment is achieved.

According to this embodiment, the elastic deformation characteristic member 96
There is only one deformed portion including a, the piezoelectric member 78a, and the drive electrodes 80a and 80b, and the configuration can be extremely simplified.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications and applications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

The summary of the present invention is summarized below.

(1) First to twentieth embodiments (corresponding to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to 11) An optical deflecting device for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotating shaft to deflect reflected light from the mirror. Is provided with a plate-shaped displacement element having a fixed end that is elastically fixed and a free end that supports the mirror, and the displacement element includes an elastic deformation plate,
Sandwiched between a pair of plate-shaped drive electrodes, including a piezoelectric member polarized in the normal direction of the plate surface of the displacement element, consisting of a piezoelectric drive plate bonded to at least one surface of the elastic deformation plate,
The displacement element is an optical deflecting device characterized in that it can be displaced in mutually opposite directions with a virtual plane defined as extending along a rotation axis and a normal direction being a boundary.
According to such an optical deflecting device, the displacement elements are displaced in opposite directions with the virtual plane as a boundary, whereby the mirror supported by the displacement elements can be rotationally reciprocated, and the size and weight can be reduced. It is possible to provide an inexpensive device.

(2) First and second embodiments (FIGS. 2 and 4)
(A) and FIG. 5 (A)) In the above-mentioned (1), the drive electrode of the piezoelectric drive plate is an optical deflecting device divided and arranged with a virtual plane as a boundary.
In this case, the same effect as the above (1) can be obtained, and the device configuration can be further simplified.

(3) Fourth Embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 5A) In the above (2), the piezoelectric drive plate is joined to the other surface of the elastically deformable plate. In this case, the rotational displacement amount of the optical deflector becomes larger than that in (1) above, and the deflection range can be increased.

(4) Sixth and seventh embodiments (FIG. 6 (A),
(Corresponding to (B)) The optical deflecting device according to the above (1) to (3), wherein the polarization directions of the piezoelectric members of the piezoelectric drive plate are opposite to each other with a virtual plane as a boundary. In this case, the same effect as (1) above can be obtained, and the device configuration can be made simpler and cheaper. Further, the piezoelectric member may be a polycrystalline ferroelectric member. In this case, the structure of each drive voltage plate can be simplified, or the required number of drive voltage plates can be reduced, and it is possible to provide an inexpensive optical deflector that can be made smaller and lighter.

(5) Seventh Embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 6 (B)) In the above (4), a plurality of the piezoelectric driving plates are provided, and these piezoelectric driving plates form one surface and the other surface of the elastic deformation plate. Is a light deflecting device that is bonded to.

In this case, the rotational displacement amount of the optical deflector becomes larger than that in (4) above, and the deflection range can be increased. Furthermore, the first piezoelectric member may be polarized towards the first drive electrode and the second piezoelectric member may be polarized towards the second drive electrode. In this case, the rotational displacement amount of the optical deflector becomes larger, and the deflection range can be increased.

(6) Third, fifth and eighth embodiments (FIG. 4)
(B), corresponding to FIG. 5 (B) and FIG. 7) An optical deflecting device for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotating shaft to deflect reflected light from the mirror, wherein the elastic fixed end and the fixed end are provided. A first piezoelectric drive plate including a first piezoelectric member having a first plate-shaped drive electrode bonded to one surface, and a plate-shaped displacement element having a free end for supporting a mirror. A second piezoelectric drive plate including a second piezoelectric member, one surface of which is opposed to the other surface of the first piezoelectric member of the first piezoelectric drive plate, and the other surface of which is joined to a second plate-shaped drive electrode And the displacement element is displaceable in mutually opposite directions with a virtual plane defined as extending along the normal line direction of the plate surface and the rotation axis as a boundary. It is a light deflection device. According to such an optical deflector, the above (1).
It is possible to provide an inexpensive optical deflector that has the same effects as (2) and (4), can simplify the structure of the displacement element, and can be made smaller and lighter. (7) Fifth embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 5B) In the above (6), the polarization directions of the first and second piezoelectric members are the same, and the third drive electrode and the second piezoelectric drive are performed. A plate-shaped member having elastic deformation characteristics and a fourth drive electrode are interposed between the plate and the plate-shaped member, and the plate-shaped member is an optical deflecting device sandwiched between the third and fourth drive electrodes. . In this case, the amount of rotational displacement of the optical deflector becomes larger than that in the above (6), and the deflection range can be increased.

(8) Eighth Embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 7) In the above (6), the third drive electrode is interposed between the first and second piezoelectric drive plates, and the third drive electrode is provided. Is an optical deflecting device shared by the first and second piezoelectric drive plates. In this case, the same effect as (6) above can be obtained, and the number of necessary drive electrodes can be reduced. Further, the polarization directions of the first piezoelectric member are opposite to each other with a virtual plane as a boundary, and the polarization direction of the second piezoelectric member with the virtual plane as a boundary is equal to the polarization direction of the first piezoelectric member. Good.
In this case, it is possible to provide an optical deflector having a simpler configuration.
Alternatively, the first and second drive electrodes may be divided and arranged with a virtual plane as a boundary. In this case, the same effects as the above (1) and (6) can be obtained, and the device configuration can be further simplified.

(9) Thirteenth and fourteenth embodiments (corresponding to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13) Optical deflection for displacing and driving a mirror having one end and the other end around a rotation axis to deflect reflected light from the mirror An apparatus includes a plate-shaped displacement element having a fixed end elastically fixed to a first fixed end and a support end supporting one end of the mirror, and the displacement element includes a first elastic deformation plate. And a piezoelectric drive plate including a piezoelectric member that is bonded to at least one surface of the first elastically deformable plate and is sandwiched by a pair of plate-shaped drive electrodes, and that is polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the displacement element. The displacement element is displaceable in mutually opposite directions with respect to an imaginary plane defined to extend along the normal line direction of the plate surface and the rotation axis, and A fixed end elastically fixed to a second fixed end facing the fixed end of the mirror; And a second elastically deformable plate having a support end that supports one end of the optical deflector. According to such an optical deflector, since the mirror is supported by the first and second elastically deformable plates, the displacement of the mirror in an undesired direction during driving can be reduced. In this case, for the purpose of increasing the driving force and driving range of the mirror and stabilizing the displacement of the mirror,
As in the fourteenth embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 13), the second elastically deformable plate is joined to at least one surface of the second elastically deformable plate, and is sandwiched by a pair of plate-shaped drive electrodes. By having a piezoelectric drive plate including a piezoelectric member polarized in the normal direction of the plane, a further plate-shaped displacement element is formed, and the displacement element extends along the normal direction of the plate surface and the central axis. It is also possible to displace in opposite directions with respect to an imaginary plane defined as above.

(10) Fifteenth embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 14) The mirror is driven to displace about the first and second rotating shafts which are orthogonal to each other, and the reflected light from the mirror is deflected in two axial directions. An axial light deflector, comprising a first plate-shaped displacement element having an elastically fixed end and a free end supporting the mirror, the first displacement element being a first elastically deformable plate. A first elastic member which is joined to at least one surface of the first elastically deformable plate and is sandwiched by a pair of first plate-shaped drive electrodes, and which is polarized in the normal direction of the plate surface of the first displacement element. A first piezoelectric drive plate including a piezoelectric member of the first displacement element, the first displacement element being defined so as to extend along the normal direction of the plate surface and the first rotation axis. Second plate-like members that are displaceable in opposite directions with respect to the virtual plane of and are elastically fixed near the first displacement element. The second displacement element is joined to the second elastically deformable plate and at least one surface of the second elastically deformable plate, and is connected to the pair of second plate-shaped drive electrodes. A second piezoelectric driving plate that includes a second piezoelectric member that is sandwiched and is polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the second displacement element, wherein the second displacement element has a direction normal to the plate surface. And a biaxial optical deflector which is configured to be displaceable in mutually opposite directions with a second virtual plane defined as extending along the second rotation axis as a boundary. According to such a biaxial light deflecting device, a device capable of biaxially driving the mirror is provided. In this case, the width of the second elastically deformable plate along the first rotation axis is made larger than the width of the first elastically deformable plate along the second rotation axis, so that the displacement range of the mirror is increased. Can be expanded, and as a result, the deflection range can be increased. Further, for the purpose of further simplifying the device configuration, the second drive electrode of the second piezoelectric drive plate may be divided and arranged with the second virtual plane as a boundary, or the second piezoelectric drive plate. The polarization directions of the second piezoelectric member may be opposite to each other with the second virtual plane as a boundary. Further, for the purpose of providing a biaxial optical deflector which is simple in structure of each drive voltage plate or reduces the required number of drive voltage plates, can be reduced in size and weight, and is inexpensive, a second piezoelectric drive device is provided. The second piezoelectric member of the plate,
It may be a polycrystalline ferroelectric member. (11) Sixteenth embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 13) A light deflecting device for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotating shaft to deflect reflected light from the mirror, the elastic deforming plate being provided. Is a first wide portion fixed between the first and second fixing portions facing each other and extending along the axial direction orthogonal to the first rotation axis on the first fixing portion side. ,
A second wide portion extending along the orthogonal axis on the side of the second fixed portion that is spaced from the first wide portion along the first rotation axis; and A wide portion of the first supporting portion supports the mirror, and a width of the second wide portion is larger than a width of the first wide portion when viewed along the orthogonal axis, and the first fixing portion and the first fixing portion The elastically deformable plate in a region between the elastically deformable plate and the wide portion of the elastically deformable plate is bonded to at least one surface of the elastically deformable plate and is sandwiched by a pair of plate-shaped drive electrodes, and polarized in the normal direction of the elastically deformable plate. By including the piezoelectric member described above, the light deflecting device can be displaced in mutually opposite directions with a virtual plane defined as extending along the normal direction and the rotation axis as a boundary. According to such an optical deflector, the amplitude of the second wide portion that supports the mirror can be made larger than the amplitude of the first wide portion that is driven, and as a result, the displacement range of the mirror is expanded. , The light change range is expanded. (12) Fifteenth embodiment (corresponding to FIG. 14) Biaxial light deflection for displacing and driving the mirror around first and second rotation axes orthogonal to each other and deflecting reflected light from the mirror in biaxial directions. An apparatus comprising: a first support for supporting the mirror at a first position coaxial with a first rotation axis; and a first frame at a second position opposite the first position. A first plate-shaped displacement element having a fixed end elastically fixed to the body and a support end for supporting the mirror is provided, and the first displacement element includes a first elastic deformation plate and the first elastic deformation plate. A first piezoelectric member, which is joined to at least one surface of the elastically deformable plate, is sandwiched by a pair of first plate-shaped drive electrodes, and is polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the first displacement element; A piezoelectric drive plate, and the first displacement element extends along the normal direction of the plate surface and the first central axis. And a second support body that supports the first frame body at a third position that is coaxial with the second rotation axis. And a second plate-shaped displacement having a fixed end elastically fixed to the second support at a fourth position opposite to the third position and a support end supporting the first support. The second displacement element is joined to the second elastically deformable plate and at least one surface of the second elastically deformable plate, and is sandwiched between the pair of second plate-shaped drive electrodes. A second piezoelectric driving plate including a second piezoelectric member polarized in a direction normal to a plate surface of the first displacement element, the second displacement element having a direction normal to the plate surface and a second piezoelectric driving plate. Two-axis optical deflection comprising being displaceable in opposite directions with respect to a second virtual plane defined to extend along the central axis of the two. It is the location. According to such a biaxial light deflector, the first and second supports and the first and second elastically deformable plates can be formed from an integral substrate, and the device can be easily manufactured. is there.

(13) Eighteenth embodiment (FIG. 17A,
(Equivalent to (B)) An optical deflecting device integrated on a semiconductor single crystal substrate for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotation axis to deflect reflected light from the mirror, wherein A first elastically deformable portion in the shape of a thin plate that is formed along the other surface of the substrate by anisotropic etching, and is formed along the one surface of the substrate by anisotropic etching from the other surface of the substrate A thin plate-shaped second elastically deforming portion, and an inclined connecting portion formed so as to incline between the first and second elastically deforming portions and to which the mirror is joined; The member is sandwiched by a pair of first drive electrodes, and the first drive electrode of the substrate is provided.
A first piezoelectric drive plate joined to the elastically deformable portion of the second piezoelectric member and a second piezoelectric member sandwiched by a pair of second drive electrodes, and a second piezoelectrically joined portion to the second elastically deformable portion of the substrate. A light deflector, comprising: a piezoelectric drive plate, wherein the central axes of the mirror, the first and second elastically deformable portions, and the first and second piezoelectric drive plates are coaxial with the rotation axis. It is a device. According to such an optical deflecting device, an inexpensive optical deflecting device can be provided which can be easily integrated with other optical elements, can be reduced in weight and can be miniaturized. In this case, for the purpose of integration with other optical elements, a concave portion which is formed by anisotropic etching from one surface of the semiconductor single crystal substrate and has a bottom portion and a concave portion which is joined to the bottom surface of the concave portion and which transmits light to the mirror. It may further include an optical element for guiding.

(14) Ninth embodiment (FIGS. 18 to 20)
An optical deflecting device integrated on a semiconductor single crystal substrate for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotation axis to deflect reflected light from the mirror, wherein anisotropic etching from one surface of the substrate is performed. The first inclined portion formed along the crystal plane of the substrate, and the first inclined portion formed along the crystal plane of the substrate by anisotropic etching from the other surface of the substrate.
First elastically deformable member having a second inclined portion facing the inclined portion and parallel to each other, one end and the other end, and one end of which is joined to the other surface of the substrate of the first inclined portion. A second elastically deformable member having one end and the other end, one end of which is joined to the other surface of the substrate of the second inclined portion, the other end of the first elastically deformable member and the second elastically deformable member. An inclined connection portion formed on the substrate by anisotropic etching of the substrate and having the mirror joined thereto so as to have an inclined surface connecting the other end of the elastically deformable member, and a pair of first drive electrodes. The first piezoelectric member is sandwiched by the first piezoelectric member, and the second piezoelectric member is sandwiched by the first piezoelectric drive plate joined to the first elastically deformable member and the pair of second drive electrodes. It is an optical deflecting device including a second piezoelectric drive plate joined to an elastically deformable member. According to such an optical deflecting device, by selecting the first and second elastically deforming members having appropriate deforming characteristics, the drive range of the mirror can be further expanded as compared with the above (13). Of course, the same effect as the above (13) can be achieved. In this case, for the purpose of integration with other optical elements, a concave portion formed by anisotropic etching from one surface of the substrate and having a bottom surface is joined to the bottom surface of this concave portion to guide light to the mirror. The optical element may be further provided.

(15) Twentieth Embodiment (FIGS. 21 to 23)
An optical deflecting device integrated on a semiconductor single crystal substrate for displacing and driving a mirror around a rotation axis to deflect reflected light from the mirror, wherein anisotropic etching from one surface of the substrate is performed. An inverted trapezoidal concave portion formed by, an elastically deformable plate formed substantially in the center of the concave portion and inclined parallel to the inclined surface of the concave portion, and a plate-shaped piezoelectric member on one surface of the plate-shaped piezoelectric member. An optical deflecting device having a drive electrode, the other surface of the piezoelectric member being bonded to the elastically deformable plate, and the piezoelectric drive plate having the mirror bonded thereto. According to such an optical deflector, since the elastically deformable plate, the piezoelectric member and the drive electrode are integrated, the device configuration can be extremely simplified. Further, the same effect as the above (13) can be achieved. In this case, for the purpose of integration with other optical elements, a further inverted trapezoidal concave portion having a bottom portion formed by one-sided anisotropic etching of the substrate and joined to the bottom surface of this concave portion,
An optical element for guiding light to the mirror may be further provided.

[0116]

As described above, according to the optical deflecting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an inexpensive optical deflecting device which can be reduced in size and weight.

According to the optical deflecting device according to the second aspect of the present application, it is possible to reduce the size and weight of the device and to provide it at a low cost, and to provide the optical deflecting device capable of changing the two axes.

According to the optical deflecting device according to claim 3 of the present application, there is provided an optical deflecting device which can be reduced in size and weight, is inexpensive, and can be easily integrated with an optical element such as a light source.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical deflecting device according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a torsional drive section using a piezoelectric member that is sandwiched between upper and lower electrodes and divided into two in the apparatus of FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view (A) taken along the line AA of FIG.
Including (B), (A) shows an arrangement for applying a DC current to the torsion drive section, and (B) shows an arrangement for applying a DC current to the torsion drive section.

4 is a cross-sectional view (A) taken along the line AA of FIG.
Including (B), (A) shows a torsional drive part using an integral piezoelectric member according to the second embodiment, and (B) shows a pair in which the polarization directions according to the third embodiment are equal. 7 shows a torsional drive unit using the piezoelectric member of FIG.

5 is a sectional view (A) taken along the line AA of FIG.
Including (B), (A) shows a torsion drive unit using a piezoelectric member sandwiched between two lower electrodes according to the fourth embodiment,
(B) shows a torsion drive unit using a pair of piezoelectric members in which the polarization directions are opposite to each other according to the fifth embodiment.

6 is a sectional view (A) taken along the line AA of FIG.
Including (B), (A) shows a torsion drive unit having a polycrystalline dielectric member and an elastically deformable plate according to the sixth embodiment, and (B).
Shows a torsion drive unit having an elastically deformable plate sandwiched between a pair of polycrystalline dielectric members according to the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the torsional drive unit according to the eighth embodiment along the line AA of FIG. 1, in which the elastically deformable plate is removed from the torsional drive unit in the seventh embodiment. The torsion drive part of the structure omitted is shown.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an optical deflecting device having a pair of bending driving units arranged in parallel according to a ninth embodiment.

9 is a sectional view (A) taken along the line BB of FIG.
(B) is included, (A) shows the torsion drive part which concerns on 9th Example, (B) is a torsion drive part which has a pair of juxtaposed polycrystalline dielectric member which concerns on 10th Example. Indicates.

10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.
12 shows a torsional drive having an integral polycrystalline dielectric member according to the eleventh embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an optical deflecting device having a structure in which a mirror is arranged between a pair of parallel bending driving units according to a twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a thirteenth embodiment, showing a light deflecting device in which a mirror is supported between a pair of torsion bars, and a torsion bar supporting one end side of the mirror is a torsion drive unit.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a fourteenth embodiment, showing a light deflecting device in which a mirror is supported between a pair of torsion bars, and the pair of torsion bars are both torsion driving units.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a fifteenth embodiment, showing a biaxial light deflector capable of deflecting light in biaxial directions.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a sixteenth embodiment, in which two wide plates are supported between three torsion bars, a mirror is arranged on one of the wide bars, and the torsion bar farthest from the mirror is twisted. 2 shows an optical deflector that is a drive unit.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a seventeenth embodiment, in which two wide plates are supported between three torsion bars, one wide plate is provided with a mirror, and the other wide plate is a twist drive unit. 2 shows an optical deflecting device.

FIG. 17 includes (A) and (B), where (A) is a cross-sectional view partially showing a light deflecting device formed by etching a semiconductor crystal substrate according to an eighteenth embodiment; FIG. 4A is a schematic view showing the operation of the device of FIG.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view partially showing a light deflecting device formed by etching a semiconductor crystal substrate according to a nineteenth embodiment.

FIG. 19 includes cross-sectional views (A) and (B) showing a manufacturing process of the optical deflecting device of FIG. 18, (A) showing a first manufacturing process,
(B) shows a 2nd manufacturing process.

20 includes sectional views (A) and (B) showing a manufacturing process of the optical deflecting device of FIG. 18, where (A) shows a third manufacturing process,
(B) shows a 4th manufacturing process.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view partially showing a light deflecting device formed by etching a semiconductor crystal substrate according to a twentieth embodiment.

FIG. 22 includes cross-sectional views (A) and (B) showing a manufacturing process of the optical deflecting device of FIG. 21, where (A) shows a first manufacturing process,
(B) shows a 2nd manufacturing process.

FIG. 23 includes cross-sectional views (A) and (B) showing a manufacturing process of the optical deflecting device of FIG. 21, where (A) shows a third manufacturing process,
(B) shows a 4th manufacturing process.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view showing a conventional displacement element (A), (B).
(A) shows the contracted state of the displacement element, and (B) shows the expanded state of the displacement element.

FIG. 25 includes cross-sectional views (A) and (B) showing a conventional bimorph type displacement element, (A) is a parallel type bimorph, and (B) is a lower piezoelectric member in (A) replaced by an elastically deformable member. A displacement element is shown.

26 is a sectional view showing a conventional displacement element in which the intermediate electrode of FIG. 25 is omitted.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing one conventional optical deflector (A),
FIG. 3A is a side view of the optical deflecting device including FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the displacement element in FIG.

FIG. 28 is a diagram (A) showing another conventional light deflector.
FIG. 3A is a side view of the optical deflecting device including FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing the displacement element in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d ... Torsion bar (elastic deformation plate) 2 '... Elastic deformation member, 6 ... Mirror, 10 ... Rotation axis, 10' ... Virtual plane, 10a ... First rotation axis, 10b
... second rotation axis, 14 ... central axis, 16, 22, 32, 3
2a, 32b ... Piezoelectric member, 18, 24, 36, 38, 4
0, 42, 50, 50a, 50b, 80a, 80c ... Upper drive electrode, 20, 26, 30, 30a, 30b, 80
c, 80d ... Lower drive electrode, 48, 48a, 48b ... Polycrystalline ferroelectric member, 64a, 64b ... Piezoelectric drive plate, 66a
... 1st frame (1st support body), 66b ... 2nd frame (2nd support body), 68a ... 1st plate-shaped part (1st)
Wide portion), 68b ... second plate-shaped portion (second wide portion),
70 ... Semiconductor crystal substrate, 84 ... Recessed part, 86 ... Light source (optical element), 88 ... Collimating lens (optical element).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A displacement drive of a mirror about a rotation axis,
An optical deflecting device for deflecting reflected light from the mirror, comprising a plate-shaped displacement element having an elastically fixed fixed end and a free end supporting the mirror, the displacement element including an elastically deformable plate and an elastically deformable plate. A piezoelectric drive plate that is sandwiched between a pair of plate-shaped drive electrodes and that is polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the displacement element, and that is joined to at least one surface of the elastically deformable plate. The optical deflecting device is characterized in that the elements are configured to be displaceable in opposite directions with respect to a virtual plane defined as extending along the rotation axis and the normal direction. 2. A biaxial light deflecting device for displacing and driving a mirror about first and second rotating shafts orthogonal to each other to deflect light reflected from the mirror in biaxial directions, which is elastically fixed. A first plate-shaped displacement element having a fixed end and a free end supporting the mirror, and the first displacement element includes a first elastic deformation plate and at least the first elastic deformation plate. The first electrode is joined to one surface and is sandwiched by a pair of first plate-shaped drive electrodes.
A first piezoelectric drive plate including a first piezoelectric member polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the displacement element of the first displacement element, and the first displacement element includes a first piezoelectric element and a first piezoelectric member. A second plate-shaped displacement element that is displaceable in mutually opposite directions with a first imaginary plane defined to extend along the moving axis as a boundary and is elastically fixed in the vicinity of the first displacement element. The second displacement element is joined to a second elastically deformable plate and at least one surface of the second elastically deformable plate, and is sandwiched by a pair of second plate-shaped drive electrodes, Second
A second piezoelectric drive plate including a second piezoelectric member polarized in the direction normal to the plate surface of the displacement element of the second displacement element, and the second displacement element includes the second piezoelectric drive plate and the second direction. A two-axis optical deflector which is configured to be displaceable in mutually opposite directions with a second virtual plane defined to extend along a moving axis as a boundary. 3. Displacement driving of a mirror around a rotation axis,
A light deflecting device integrated on a semiconductor single crystal substrate for deflecting light reflected from a mirror, which is formed along the other surface of the semiconductor single crystal substrate by anisotropic etching from one surface of the substrate. A thin plate-shaped first elastic deformation portion, and a thin plate-shaped second elastic deformation portion formed along one surface of the substrate by anisotropic etching from the other surface of the substrate; The first piezoelectric member is sandwiched between the inclined connecting portion to which the elastically deforming portions of the first and second mirrors are joined, and the first piezoelectric member is sandwiched by the pair of first driving electrodes. A first piezoelectric drive plate joined to one elastically deformable portion and a second piezoelectric member sandwiched by a pair of second drive electrodes, and a second piezoelectric actuator plate joined to the second elastically deformable portion of the substrate. A piezoelectric drive plate, and the mirror, the first and second elastic deformation portions, and Light deflecting device central axis of each of the first and second piezoelectric drive plate, wherein the a rotating shaft coaxial.