Bouncing mode operated scanning micro-mirror
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tilting micro-mirror device comprising:
- a. a substrate;
b. a micro-mirror operative to perform a tilt motion around a tilt axis positioned substantially parallel to said substrate, said tilt motion defined by a tilt range ending in a positive or negative maximum tilt angle; and
c. at least one pair of additional stiffness elements, each element of said pair positioned on opposite sides of said tilt axis and operative to couple to said micro-mirror when said mirror reaches said positive or negative maximum tilt angle, said coupling providing an essentially piecewise linear mirror motion.
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Abstract
A MEMS apparatus for scanning an optical beam comprises a mirror operative to perform a rotational motion to a maximum rotation angle around a mirror rotation axis, and a bouncing mechanism operative to provide a bouncing event and to reverse the rotational motion. The bouncing event provides the mirror with a piecewise linear response to actuation by intrinsically nonlinear electrostatic forces. The bouncing mechanism includes an element chosen to impart an overall nonlinear stiffness to the system and is selected from the group of elements consisting of a bouncer and a pre-curved nonlinear stiffness element.
16 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A tilting micro-mirror device comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a micro-mirror operative to perform a tilt motion around a tilt axis positioned substantially parallel to said substrate, said tilt motion defined by a tilt range ending in a positive or negative maximum tilt angle; and
c. at least one pair of additional stiffness elements, each element of said pair positioned on opposite sides of said tilt axis and operative to couple to said micro-mirror when said mirror reaches said positive or negative maximum tilt angle, said coupling providing an essentially piecewise linear mirror motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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- 9. The tilting micro-mirror device of claim 9, wherein said SOI substrate includes an SOI substrate bonded to a regular silicon substrate.
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11. A tilting micro-mirror device comprising:
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a. a substrate;
b. a micro-mirror operative to perform a tilt motion around a tilt axis positioned substantially parallel to said substrate, said tilt motion defined by a tilt range ending in a positive or negative maximum tilt angle; and
c. at least one pair of pre-curved nonlinear stiffness elements having each two ends, each of said pre-curved elements connected at one of its ends to said micro-mirror and at the other of its ends to said substrate, whereby each said pair is operative to impart said tilt motion an essentially piecewise linear motion characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A MEMS apparatus for scanning an optical beam comprising:
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a. a mirror operative to perform a rotational motion to a maximum rotation angle around a mirror rotation axis; and
b. a bouncing mechanism operative to provide a bouncing event and to reverse said rotational motion;
whereby said bouncing event provides said mirror with a piecewise linear response to actuation by intrinsically nonlinear forces. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for scanning an optical beam using a MEMS mirror comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a mirror operative to perform a rotational motion to a maximum rotation angle around a mirror rotation axis; and
b. providing a bouncing mechanism operative to facilitate a bouncing event and to reverse said rotational motion;
whereby said bouncing event provides said mirror with a piecewise linear response to actuation by intrinsically nonlinear forces. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification