Micro-mirror device

• US 6,259,548 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Mita, Yoshio, Fujita, Hiroyuki, Konno, Nobuaki, Mita, Makoto, Toshiyoshi, Hiroshi, Tsugai, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHUBERG, DARREN E
• Application Number:
  US09/401,947
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 359/196, 359/224, 359/225, 359/872
• US Class Current: 359/224.1
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/004 Angular deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A micro-mirror device includes a mirror forming substrate on which a mirror is disposed. A pair of torsion beams are disposed on opposing sides of the mirror forming substrate. An anchor projects from a supporting substrate, supporting the ends of the torsion beams. A driving frame surrounds at least one side of the torsion beams and is connected to the mirror forming substrate through a link beam. A drive force generator drives the driving frame.

Claims

1. A micro-mirror device comprising:

a supporting substrate;

a mirror forming substrate, on which a mirror is located;

a pair of first torsion beams disposed on opposing sides of the mirror forming substrate, perpendicular to those sides and supporting the mirror forming substrate;

a first driving frame surrounding at least one side of the mirror forming substrate and connected to the mirror forming substrate through a first link beam, parallel to the first torsion beams; and

first driving force generating means for driving the first driving frame to move so that movement is transmitted to the mirror forming substrate through the first link beam.

2. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the first torsion beams are supported at respective ends by a pair of first anchors projecting from the supporting substrate.

3. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein ends of the first torsion beam are supported by the first driving frame.

4. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second driving frame;

second driving force generating means for driving the second driving frame to move, wherein

ends of the first torsion beams are supported by the first driving frame;

the first driving frame has third torsion beams, disposed on one side of the first driving frame opposing the first link beam, and perpendicular to the first torsion beam;

ends of the third torsion beams are supported by a pair of third anchors projecting from the supporting substrate; and

the second driving frame is connected to the first driving frame through a second link beam, disposed on a first side of the second driving frame, parallel to the third torsion beams.

5. The micro-mirror device according to claim 4, wherein the first side of the second driving frame is supported by a fourth anchor projecting from the supporting substrate.

6. The micro-mirror device according to claim 4, wherein the second link beam is connected to the first driving frame proximate a base of the third torsion beams.

7. The micro-mirror device according to claim 4, wherein the second driving force generating means comprises a driving electrode disposed on the supporting substrate under the second driving frame, a driving voltage applied either to the first driving frame or to the driving electrode driving the driving frame through an attracting electrostatic force between the second driving frame and the driving electrode.

8. The micro-mirror device according to claim 4, wherein the second driving force generating means comprises a piezoelectric element disposed on the second driving frame, an alternating voltage applied between upper and under surfaces of the piezoelectric element causing a bending oscillation of the piezoelectric element.

9. The micro-mirror device according to claim 4, wherein the second driving force generating means comprises a coupled permanent magnet and electromagnet, the second driving frame being driven by a magnetic force coupling the permanent magnet and the electromagnet.

10. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein

the first driving frame has a pair of second torsion beams disposed on a pair of opposing sides of the first driving frame, the second torsion beam being parallel to the first torsion beam;

and

ends of the second torsion beam are supported by a pair of second anchors projecting from the supporting substrate.

11. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein one side of the first driving frame is supported by an anchor projecting from the supporting substrate.

12. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the first link beam is connected to the mirror forming substrate proximate a base of the first torsion beams.

13. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the first driving force generating means comprises a driving electrode disposed on the supporting substrate under the first driving frame, a driving voltage applied either to the first driving frame or to the driving electrode driving the driving frame through an attracting electrostatic force between the first driving frame and the driving electrode.

14. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the first driving force generating means comprises a piezoelectric element disposed on the first driving frame, an alternating voltage applied between upper and under surfaces of the piezoelectric element causing a bending oscillation of the piezoelectric element.

15. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the first driving force generating means comprises a coupled permanent magnet and electromagnet, the first driving frame being driven by a magnetic force coupling the permanent magnet and the electromagnet.

16. The micro-mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting substrate includes a recess at a region under the mirror forming substrate.