WO2002004991A2 - Bimorphes piezo-electriques utilises comme blocs de structures microelectromecaniques et structures obtenues - Google Patents

Bimorphes piezo-electriques utilises comme blocs de structures microelectromecaniques et structures obtenues Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002004991A2
WO2002004991A2 PCT/US2001/021641 US0121641W WO0204991A2 WO 2002004991 A2 WO2002004991 A2 WO 2002004991A2 US 0121641 W US0121641 W US 0121641W WO 0204991 A2 WO0204991 A2 WO 0204991A2
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
micro
bendable member
bendable
supports
rigid member
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/021641
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English (en)
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WO2002004991A3 (fr
Inventor
Johannes G. Smits
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Trustees Of Boston University
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US09/700,633 external-priority patent/US6657764B1/en
Application filed by Trustees Of Boston University filed Critical Trustees Of Boston University
Priority to US10/332,559 priority Critical patent/US6830944B1/en
Priority to AU2001280500A priority patent/AU2001280500A1/en
Publication of WO2002004991A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002004991A2/fr
Publication of WO2002004991A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002004991A3/fr

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
    • B81B3/00—Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements, e.g. comprising elastic tongues or membranes
    • B81B3/0018—Structures acting upon the moving or flexible element for transforming energy into mechanical movement or vice versa, i.e. actuators, sensors, generators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B81—MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY
    • B81B—MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
    • B81B3/00—Devices comprising flexible or deformable elements, e.g. comprising elastic tongues or membranes
    • B81B3/0035—Constitution or structural means for controlling the movement of the flexible or deformable elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B26/00—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements
    • G02B26/08—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the direction of light
    • G02B26/0816—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the direction of light by means of one or more reflecting elements
    • G02B26/0833—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the direction of light by means of one or more reflecting elements the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD
    • G02B26/0858—Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the direction of light by means of one or more reflecting elements the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
    • H10N30/20—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators
    • H10N30/204—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators using bending displacement, e.g. unimorph, bimorph or multimorph cantilever or membrane benders
    • H10N30/2041—Beam type
    • H10N30/2042—Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end
    • H10N30/2043—Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end connected at their free ends, e.g. parallelogram type
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N—ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10N30/00—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices
    • H10N30/20—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators
    • H10N30/204—Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with electrical input and mechanical output, e.g. functioning as actuators or vibrators using bending displacement, e.g. unimorph, bimorph or multimorph cantilever or membrane benders
    • H10N30/2041—Beam type
    • H10N30/2042—Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end
    • H10N30/2044—Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end having multiple segments mechanically connected in series, e.g. zig-zag type

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the field of Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) , and more specifically to MEMS devices that can be easily configured to provide extended ranges of rotational and/or translational motion.
  • MEMS devices have been widely employed as actuators or sensors in various micro-electromechanical applications including in jet printers, read/write heads in computer disk drives, accelerometers, and pressure sensors.
  • MEMS devices have been employed in optical networking applications including optical cross-connect modules for controlling switching between optical fiber input and output ports.
  • optical cross-connects typically comprise two or three- dimensional arrays of optical mirrors configured to direct pluralities of beams of light from selected sets of fiber input ports to selected sets of fiber output ports.
  • conventional MEMS devices included in such optical cross-connects are configured to move at least some of the optical mirrors in the array under computer control to bring about a desired switching between the selected sets of fiber input and output ports.
  • MEMS devices employed in today' s optical networking applications are frequently called upon to satisfy demanding performance requirements.
  • such MEMS devices are often required to move relatively large structures (e.g., optical mirrors, prisms, or optical gratings) over relatively large distances with high speed and a high degree of precision.
  • conventional MEMS devices used in optical networking applications typically impart only limited ranges of linear or angular displacement. Further, such conventional MEMS devices are typically only capable of causing structures to rotate about a single axis.
  • MEMS devices that can be employed as actuators or sensors in micro- electromechanical or micro-opto-electromechanical applications. Such MEMS devices would be easily configured to provide extended ranges of rotational and/or translational motion. It would also be desirable to have a MEMS device that can cause a structure such as an optical mirror to rotate about more than one axis.
  • a plurality of MEMS devices is provided that can be easily configured to impart extended ranges of rotational and/or translational motion. Benefits of the presently disclosed invention are achieved by providing a micro- electromechanical building block, one or more of which can be used to construct a respective MEMS device capable of moving a desired angular and/or linear distance.
  • the micro-electromechanical building block includes at least one bendable member having a first end connectable to a support structure, and at least one straight rigid member having a first end connected to a second end of the bendable member.
  • the rigid member extends from the second end of the bendable member toward the support structure.
  • the bendable member has a predetermined length, and the rigid member has a length within a range from one half to the full predetermined length of the bendable member to allow a free end of the rigid member to undergo extended rotational and/or translational motion in response to a ' displacement of the bendable member.
  • the support structure comprises a frame of silicon
  • the bendable member comprises a length of silicon having regions with depositions providing bender or piezoelectric morph functions when energized with a voltage
  • the rigid member comprises a rigid silicon bar.
  • the support structure, the bendable member, and the rigid member are formed from the same silicon wafer by way of a silicon micro-machining fabrication technique.
  • at least one micro-electromechanical building block comprising at least one bendable member connectable to at least one straight rigid member is used to construct respective MEMS devices capable of moving desired angular and/or linear distances.
  • a first MEMS device includes a first bendable member having a first end connectable to a support structure, and a first straight rigid member having a first end connected to a second end of the first bendable member. In the event the first bendable member is in a straight condition, the first rigid member extends toward the support structure.
  • the first MEMS device also includes a second bendable member having a first end connected to a second end of the first rigid member, in which the first and second bendable members are configured to undergo respective displacements in a same direction; and, a second straight rigid member having a first end connected to a second end of the second bendable member. In the event the first and second bendable members are in respective straight conditions, the second rigid member extends toward the support structure.
  • the first and second bendable members have the same predetermined length. Further, the first rigid member has a length equal to the predetermined length of the first and second bendable members, and the second rigid member has a length equal to one half of the length of the first rigid member to allow a free end of the second rigid member to undergo a pure rotation in response to a displacement of at least the first bendable member.
  • a second MEMS device includes a first bendable member having a first end connectable to a support structure, and a straight rigid member having a first end connected to a second end of the first bendable member. In the event the first bendable member is in a straight condition, the rigid member extends toward the support structure.
  • the second MEMS device also includes a second bendable member having a first end connected to a second end of the rigid member. In the event the first and second bendable members are in respective straight conditions, the second bendable member extends away from the support structure.
  • the first and second bendable members have the same predetermined length, and are configured to undergo respective displacements in opposite directions. Further, the rigid member has a length equal to one half of the predetermined length of the first and second bendable members to allow a free end of the second bendable member to undergo a pure translation in response to a displacement of at least the first bendable member.
  • a third MEMS device includes a first bendable member having a first end connectable to a support structure, and a second bendable member having a first end connected to a second end of the first bendable member. In the event the first and second bendable members are in respective straight conditions, the second bendable member extends away from the support structure.
  • the first and second bendable members have the same predetermined length, and are configured to undergo respective displacements in opposite directions to allow a free end of the second bendable member to undergo a pure translation in response to a displacement of at least the first bendable member.
  • a fourth MEMS device includes a first bendable member having a first end connectable to a support structure, and a first straight rigid member having a first end connected to a second end of the first bendable member. In the event the first bendable member is in a straight condition, the first rigid member extends toward the support structure.
  • the fourth MEMS device also includes a second bendable member having a first end connected to a second end of the first rigid member. In the event the first and second bendable members are in respective straight conditions, the second bendable member extends toward the support structure.
  • the fourth MEMS device also includes a second straight rigid member having a first end connected to a second end of the second bendable member.
  • the second rigid member extends away from the support structure.
  • the first and second bendable members have the same predetermined length, and are configured to undergo respective displacements in a same direction. Further, the first and second rigid members have respective lengths equal to one half of the predetermined length of the first and second bendable members to allow a free end of the second rigid member to undergo a pure translation in response to a displacement of at least the first bendable member.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting a piezoelectric morph device energized with a voltage
  • Fig. 2a is a side view of a first micro- electromechanical building block including the piezoelectric morph device of Fig. 1, in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 2b is a top plan view of the first micro- electromechanical building block of Fig. 2a;
  • Fig. 3a is a side view of a second micro- electromechanical building block including the piezoelectric morph device of Fig. 1, in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 3b is a top plan view of the second micro- electromechanical building block of Fig. 3a;
  • Fig. 4a is a side view of a first MEMS device including the first and second micro-electromechanical building blocks of Figs. 2a and 3a, in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 4b is a top plan view of the first MEMS device of Fig. 4a;
  • Fig. 5a is a side view of a second MEMS device including the second micro-electromechanical building block of Fig. 3a, in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 5b is a top plan view of the second MEMS device of Fig. 5a;
  • Fig. 6a is a side view of a third MEMS device, in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 6b is a top plan view of the third MEMS device of Fig. 6a;
  • Fig. 7a is a side view of a fourth MEMS device including the second micro-electromechanical building block of Fig. 3a, in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 7b is a top plan view of the fourth MEMS device of Fig. 7a;
  • Fig. 8 is a top plan view of an optical cross- connect module including mirrored configurations of the second MEMS device of Fig. 5a, in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a two-morph mirror scanning system, in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 10 is a drawing depicting the operation of the mirror scanning system of Fig. 9.
  • Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a three-morph mirror scanning system, in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The entire disclosure of U.S. Patent Application No. 09/700,633 filed November 16, 2000 is incorporated herein by reference. The entire disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent
  • a plurality of MEMS devices is disclosed that can be easily configured to provide extended ranges of rotational and/or translational motion.
  • the presently disclosed MEMS devices achieve such extended ranges of motion by way of a micro-electromechanical building block, at least one of which can be used to construct a respective MEMS device capable of moving a desired angular and/or linear distance.
  • Fig. 2a depicts a side view of a first micro- electromechanical building block 200 according to the present invention.
  • the micro-electromechanical building block 200 includes a bendable member 204 having a first end connected to a support structure 202, and a straight rigid member 206 having a first end connected to a second end of the bendable member 204.
  • the straight rigid member 206 is connected to the bendable member 204 such that when the bendable member 204 is in a straight condition, the straight rigid member 206 extends from its connection with the bendable member 204 toward the support structure 202.
  • the bendable member 204 comprises a piezoelectric bender, which can be made to bend away from a planar position by applying an electric field across at least one piezoelectric layer deposited on a surface thereof.
  • the piezoelectric bender 204 may comprise either a "mono-morph” or a "bimorph” (the term “morph” being used to represent either of other equivalent structures described herein) .
  • the micro-electromechanical building block 200 is preferably formed from a silicon wafer by a conventional silicon micro-machining process.
  • the support structure 202 comprises a frame of silicon
  • the bendable member 204 comprises a length of silicon having regions with depositions providing bender or piezoelectric morph functions when energized by an applied voltage
  • the rigid member 206 comprises a rigid silicon bar.
  • the bendable member 204 may alternatively comprise a piezo-magnetic bender that can be made to bend away from a planar position by application of a magnetic field across at least one piezo-magnetic layer deposited thereon, or any other type of bender that can be made to bend by inducing a stress gradient (via, e . g. , an electric field, a magnetic field, or an application of heat or radiation) along a dimension of the bender.
  • a stress gradient via, e . g. , an electric field, a magnetic field, or an application of heat or radiation
  • Fig. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a piezoelectric bender 104 coupled to a voltage source 108.
  • the piezoelectric bender 104 is representative of the bendable member 204 included in the micro- electromechanical building block 200 (see Fig. 2a) . Accordingly, when energized by a voltage "V" applied by the voltage source 108, the piezoelectric bender 104 provides desired bender or piezoelectric morph functions.
  • the piezoelectric bender 104 comprises a length of silicon having a first piezoelectric deposition region 104a and a second piezoelectric deposition region 104b.
  • a piezoelectric bimorph energized by an applied voltage is subject to a plurality of external variables including a tip moment "M”, a tip force “F”, a pressure “p” , and the applied voltage V. It will also be appreciated that canonical conjugates of these four (4) variables are a tip rotation " ⁇ ”, a tip translation “ ⁇ ”, a displaced volume “V, and an electrode charge "Q”, respectively.
  • Fig. 1 Each of these external variables M, F, p, and V and their respective conjugates ⁇ , ⁇ , V, and Q are depicted in Fig. 1 relative to the piezoelectric bender 104.
  • the tip rotation ⁇ and the tip translation ⁇ are also depicted in Fig. 2a relative to the micro- electromechanical building block 200 (see also Figs. 3a, 4a, 5a, 6a, and 7a) .
  • ⁇ L is the length of the bendable member 204 (see Fig. 2a) .
  • Both the bendable member 204 and the tangent rigid member 206 are herein defined as standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building block 200.
  • the bendable member 204 and the rigid member 206 are herein referred to as a bimorph and an "extender", respectively.
  • the extender 206 connected to the bimorph 204 is depicted in Fig. 2a as pointing in the positive x-direction, it is understood that the extender 206 may be suitably connected to the bimorph 204 to allow it to point in the negative x- direction.
  • the extender 206 pointing in the positive x- direction is herein referred to as a "forward extender", and the extender 206 pointing in the negative x-direction is herein referred to as a "reverse extender”.
  • the bimorph 204 extending in the positive x- direction is herein referred to as a "forward bimorph”
  • the bimorph 204 extending in the negative x-direction is herein referred to as a "reverse bimorph”.
  • the bimorph 204 is shown in Fig. 2a as bending in the positive y-direction, it is understood that the bimorph 204 may be suitably configured to bend in the negative y-direction.
  • the forward bimorph 204 bending in the positive y-direction is herein referred to as a "forward positive bimorph”
  • the forward bimorph 204 bending in the negative y- direction is herein referred to as a "forward negative bimorph”
  • the reverse bimorph 204 bending in the positive y-direction is herein referred to as a "reverse positive bimorph”
  • the reverse bimorph 204 bending in the negative y-direction is herein referred to as a "reverse negative bimorph”.
  • Fig. 2b depicts a top plan view of the micro- electromechanical building block 200.
  • the top plan view shows the supporting structure 202, the forward positive bimorph 204, the reverse extender 206, and a suitable silicon micro-machined connector 207 disposed between the bimorph 204 and the extender 206.
  • the length of the extender 206 is equal to the length L of the bimorph 204.
  • the extender 206 having a length equal to that of the bimorph 204 to which it is connected is herein referred to as a " full extender" .
  • Fig. 3a depicts a side view of a second micro- electromechanical building block 300 according to the present invention.
  • the micro-electromechanical building block 300 includes a forward positive bimorph 304 having a first end connected to a support structure 302, and a reverse extender 309 having a first end connected to a second end of the bimorph 304.
  • a top plan view of the micro- electromechanical building block 300 comprising the support structure 302, the forward bimorph 304, the reverse extender 309, and a suitable silicon micro- machined connector 307 disposed between the bimorph 304 and the extender 309 (see Fig. 3b) shows that the length of the extender 309 is equal to one half the length L of the bimorph 304. Accordingly, the free end of the reverse extender 309 undergoes pure rotation because it is at the equilibrium midpoint of the forward positive bimorph 304.
  • Both the forward bimorph 304 and the reverse extender 309 are herein defined as standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building block 300. It is noted that the extender 309 having a length equal to one half that of the bimorph 304 to which it is connected is herein referred to as a "half extender”.
  • each of the extenders 206 and 309 may alternatively have a respective length at least within a range from one half to the full length of the bimorph connected thereto to allow the free end of the extender to undergo a desired rotational and/or translational motion.
  • the standard MEMS elements of the micro- electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 can be connected to each other in various combinations to construct MEMS devices capable of moving desired angular and/or linear distances.
  • Fig. 4a depicts a side view of a first MEMS device 400 constructed using a combination of the standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 (see Figs. 2a and 3a), in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 4b depicts a top plan view of this first MEMS device 400, which is constructed to undergo a pure rotation ⁇ at the tip of a half reverse extender 412.
  • the first MEMS device 400 includes a forward positive bimorph 404 having a first end connected to a support structure 402, a full reverse extender 406 having a first end connected to a second end of the forward positive bimorph 404, a forward positive bimorph 410 having a first end connected to a second end of the full reverse extender 406, and the half reverse extender 412 having a first end connected to a second end of the forward positive bimorph 410.
  • the combination of the forward positive bimorph 404 and the full reverse extender 406 conforms to the general configuration of the micro- electromechanical building block 200 (see Fig. 2a)
  • the combination of the forward positive bimorph 410 and the half reverse extender 412 conforms to the general configuration of the micro-electromechanical building block 300 (see Fig. 3a) .
  • the net result of the bending forward positive bimorph 404 and its connection to the full reverse extender 406, and the bending forward positive bimorph 410 and its connection to the half reverse extender 412 is that the tip of the half reverse extender 412 undergoes a rotation ⁇ without translation.
  • Fig. 5a depicts a side view of a second MEMS device 500 constructed using the standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 (see Figs. 2a and 3a), in accordance with the present invention. Further, Fig. 5b depicts a top plan view of this second MEMS device 500, which is constructed to undergo a pure translation ⁇ at the tip of a forward negative bimorph 514.
  • the second MEMS device 500 includes a forward positive bimorph 504 having a first end connected to a support structure 502, a half reverse extender 512 having a first end connected to a second end of the forward positive bimorph 504, and the forward negative bimorph 514 having a first end connected to a second end of the half reverse extender 512.
  • the combination of the forward positive bimorph 504 and the half reverse extender 512 conforms to the general configuration of the micro- electromechanical building block 300 (see Fig. 3a) .
  • this second MEMS device 500 is herein referred to as a "single delta translator".
  • Fig. 6a depicts a side view of a third MEMS device 600 constructed using the standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 (see Figs. 2a and 3a), in accordance with the present invention. Further, Fig. 6b depicts a top plan view of this third MEMS device 600, which is constructed to undergo an extended range of pure translational motion 2 ⁇ at the tip of a forward negative bimorph 614.
  • the third MEMS device 600 includes a forward positive bimorph 604 having a first end connected to a support structure 602, and the forward negative bimorph 614 having a first end connected to a second end of the forward positive bimorph 604.
  • this third MEMS device 600 is herein referred to as a "double delta translator".
  • Fig. 7a depicts a side view of a fourth MEMS device 700 constructed using the standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 (see Figs. 2a and 3a), in accordance with the present invention. Further, Fig. 7b depicts a top plan view of this fourth MEMS device 700, which is constructed to undergo a pure translation ⁇ at the tip of a half forward extender 716.
  • the fourth MEMS device 700 includes a forward negative bimorph 704 having a first end connected to a support structure 702, a half reverse extender 712 having a first end connected to a second end of the forward negative bimorph 704, a reverse negative bimorph 714 having a first end connected to a second end of the half reverse extender 712, and the half forward extender 716 having a first end connected to a second end of the reverse negative bimorph 714.
  • this fourth MEMS device 700 therefore comprises another single delta translator.
  • the standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 and/or the first, second, third, or fourth MEMS devices 400, 500, 600, or 700 may be suitably stacked to form higher order rotators and translators. Further, in order to avoid twisting moments, these constructions can be made symmetrical by mirroring them.
  • a translator may be formed in which a MEMS device and its mirrored counterpart provide a connection to a structure comprising an optical surface (e.g., an optical mirror, a prism, or an optical grating - either transparent or reflective) such that the tip of the last MEMS element of the translator is allowed to undergo a desired translational motion with no twisting moments.
  • an optical surface e.g., an optical mirror, a prism, or an optical grating - either transparent or reflective
  • the optical cross-connect module 800 includes a switching unit 802 comprising an optical mirror positioned on a platform 804, which is connected to three (3) sets of double delta translators 806, 808, and 810 positioned at angles of about 120° from each other.
  • the double delta translator 806 is formed by mirroring a stack comprising the second MEMS device 500 connected between two (2) micro-electromechanical building blocks 200.
  • the double delta translators 808 and 810 are formed in a similar manner.
  • the platform 804 is raised (lowered) to insert (remove) the optical mirror in (from) the path of light beams emitted from optical fiber ports (not shown) . It is noted that the raising (lowering) of the platform 804 may alternatively be achieved by employing more than one set of single, double, triple, or higher order translators.
  • Fig. 9 depicts a top plan view of a two-morph mirror scanning system 900 according to the present invention.
  • the two-morph mirror scanning system 900 includes a mirrored silicon platform or area 10 supported and etch-released from a silicon frame 12 by respective silicon support arms 14 and 16. Overlying the arms 14 and 16 are respective orphs 18 and 20 that may be mono-morphs or bimorphs .
  • the morphs 18 and 20 comprise piezoelectric depositions formed during the silicon micro-machining of the device. In their configurations as benders, the morphs 18 and 20 have upper and lower electrical connections 22 and 24 to terminals 26, each formed as a metalization on the frame 12.
  • Fig. 10 depicts a diagrammatic illustration of the principle of operation of the two-morph mirror scanning system 900 according to the present invention, in which a mirror 10' is supported on arms 14' and 16' within a frame 12'.
  • the morphs or bimorphs of the arms 14' and 16' are electrically actuated to bend in opposite directions, the mirror 10' can be tilted a considerable distance.
  • the system of the invention is normally operated with a microprocessor or other processor 28 (see Fig. 9) , which controls the magnitude of the signals applied to terminals 26 with or without interfacing drivers 30 (see Fig. 9) .
  • the respective combinations of the arm 14' and the mirror 10', and the arm 16' and the mirror 10' conform to the general configuration of the micro-electromechanical building block 200 (see Fig. 2a) .
  • the midpoint of the mirror 10' is at the respective equilibrium midpoints of the arms 14' and 16', the midpoint of the mirror 10' undergoes rotation without translation.
  • the midpoint of the mirror 10' therefore comprises the axis of rotation of the mirror 10' .
  • Fig. 11 depicts a further embodiment of the present invention, in which three "J" shaped arms 1100, completing nearly a 180° curvature and angled at 120° from each other, are supported from the edge 1102 of a frame.
  • the initial linear portion 1104 of the arms 1100 is plated to function as morphs or benders.
  • a computation system 1106 drives the morphs and accomplishes any coordinate transformations necessary to adjust orthogonal drive signals to the 120° angles.
  • a mirror 1110 is formed in the center, as described above.
  • Stress relief structures 1112 are formed of silicon between the ends of the arms 1100 and the mirror 1108 to accommodate a difference in slope between the sides of the arms 1100 at the juncture with the mirror due to the substantial curving of the arms 1100 at the end and the 120° arm placement.
  • the stress relief structures 1112 comprise a widening of the arms with the centers etched out leaving only outer bands for the attachment over a few degrees of curvature.
  • the midpoint of the initial linear portion 1104 of each of the three (3) arms 1100 is in line with the stress relief structures 1112 of the remaining two (2) arms 1100. In this configuration, the arms 1100 can cause the mirror 1108 to move with minimal stress and inertia.
  • bimorphs and “extenders” are herein described as distinct standard MEMS elements of the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 (see Figs. 2a and 3a), it should be understood that a bimorph may be configured to act as a bender and/or an extender. For example, by applying suitable voltages to a bimorph, the bimorph can be transformed from a positive/negative bimorph to an extender and from the extender back to the positive/negative bimorph. Moreover, even though the micro-electromechanical building blocks 200 and 300 (see Figs.
  • the building blocks 200 and 300 may alternatively include respective reverse extenders having any desired length, so long as the reverse extenders are disposed internal to the area of the respective bimorphs.
  • an optical surface such as the optical surface 10' (see Fig. 10) may have any desired length so long as it is disposed internal to the area of the arm 14' or 16' .
  • a bimorph suitably connected at one end to an optical surface conforming to the general configuration of a "quarter reverse extender" may be employed to implement an optical grating.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
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  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
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  • Micromachines (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur une pluralité de dispositifs microélectromécaniques pouvant être facilement configurés pour imprimer un mouvement rotatif et/ou de translation à amplitudes étendues. Ces dispositifs comprennent un bloc fonctionnel microélectromécanique comprenant un élément pliable doté d'une première extrémité pouvant se raccorder à une structure de support, et un élément rigide droit doté d'une première extrémité raccordée à une seconde extrémité de l'élément pliable. Dans le cas où l'élément pliable est droit, l'élément rigide s'étend de la seconde extrémité de l'élément pliable à la structure de support. L'élément pliable a en outre une longueur prédéterminée, la longueur de l'élément rigide étant comprise dans une plage représentant de la moitié à la totalité de la longueur prédéterminée de l'élément pliable de sorte qu'une extrémité libre de l'élément rigide soit soumise à un mouvement rotatif et/ou de translation prolongé en réaction au déplacement de l'élément pliable. Les dispositifs microélectromécaniques de cette invention peuvent être utilisés comme actionneurs ou capteurs dans une variété d'applications microélectromécaniques et micro-opto-électromécaniques.
PCT/US2001/021641 1999-03-18 2001-07-10 Bimorphes piezo-electriques utilises comme blocs de structures microelectromecaniques et structures obtenues WO2002004991A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/332,559 US6830944B1 (en) 1999-03-18 2001-07-10 Piezoelectric bimorphs as microelectromechanical building blocks and constructions made using same
AU2001280500A AU2001280500A1 (en) 2000-07-10 2001-07-10 Piezoelectric bimorphs as microelectromechanical building blocks and constructions made using same

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/700,633 US6657764B1 (en) 1999-03-18 2000-03-17 Very large angle integrated optical scanner made with an array of piezoelectric monomorphs
US21719100P 2000-07-10 2000-07-10
US60/217,191 2000-07-10
US09/700,633 2000-11-16

Publications (2)

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WO2002004991A2 true WO2002004991A2 (fr) 2002-01-17
WO2002004991A3 WO2002004991A3 (fr) 2003-01-16

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EP2270972A4 (fr) * 2008-04-25 2014-05-14 Panasonic Corp Oscillateur en méandre, élément optique réfléchissant l utilisant et dispositif de projection d images l utilisant
CN104094160A (zh) * 2012-02-03 2014-10-08 船井电机株式会社 Mems器件以及具有投影功能的电子设备
US9186908B2 (en) 2010-12-08 2015-11-17 Seiko Epson Corporation Actuator, optical scanner, and image forming apparatus
FR3030474A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-24 Commissariat Energie Atomique Dispositif de transformation d'un mouvement hors plan en un mouvement dans le plan et/ou inversement
CN108604008A (zh) * 2016-02-17 2018-09-28 三菱电机株式会社 反射镜驱动装置、反射镜驱动装置的控制方法及反射镜驱动装置的制造方法
CN111006809A (zh) * 2019-12-25 2020-04-14 中国海洋大学 三维mems海洋湍流传感器
CN113655612A (zh) * 2021-09-03 2021-11-16 上海科技大学 一种高稳定性二维姿态调整机构

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2270972A4 (fr) * 2008-04-25 2014-05-14 Panasonic Corp Oscillateur en méandre, élément optique réfléchissant l utilisant et dispositif de projection d images l utilisant
US9186908B2 (en) 2010-12-08 2015-11-17 Seiko Epson Corporation Actuator, optical scanner, and image forming apparatus
CN104094160A (zh) * 2012-02-03 2014-10-08 船井电机株式会社 Mems器件以及具有投影功能的电子设备
FR3030474A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-24 Commissariat Energie Atomique Dispositif de transformation d'un mouvement hors plan en un mouvement dans le plan et/ou inversement
EP3037381A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-29 Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives Dispositif de transformation d'un mouvement hors plan en un mouvement dans le plan et/ou inversement
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CN108604008A (zh) * 2016-02-17 2018-09-28 三菱电机株式会社 反射镜驱动装置、反射镜驱动装置的控制方法及反射镜驱动装置的制造方法
CN111006809A (zh) * 2019-12-25 2020-04-14 中国海洋大学 三维mems海洋湍流传感器
CN111006809B (zh) * 2019-12-25 2021-01-15 中国海洋大学 三维mems海洋湍流传感器
CN113655612A (zh) * 2021-09-03 2021-11-16 上海科技大学 一种高稳定性二维姿态调整机构

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AU2001280500A1 (en) 2002-01-21

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