Precision electrostatic actuation and positioning
First Claim
1. An electrostatically-controllable actuator comprising:
- a stationary electrode; and
an actuating element separated from the stationary electrode by an actuation gap, the actuating element including a mechanically constrained support region, a deflection region free to be deflected through the actuation gap, and a conducting actuation region extending from about the support region to the deflection region, a commonality in area between the actuation region and the stationary electrode being selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the deflection region over a displacement range extending to a specified point in the actuation gap when an actuation voltage is applied between the actuation region and the stationary electrode.
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Abstract
There is provided an electrostatically-controllable actuator having a stationary electrode, with an actuating element separated from the stationary electrode by an actuation gap. The actuating element includes a mechanically constrained support region, a deflection region free to be deflected through the actuation gap, and a conducting actuation region extending from about the support region to the deflection region. A commonality in area between the actuation region and the stationary electrode is selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the deflection region over a displacement range, e.g., extending to a specified point in the actuation gap, when an actuation voltage is applied between the actuation region and the stationary electrode. This range of stable displacement, which can be stable bending, can extend to a point greater than about ⅓ of the actuation gap, or even through the full actuation gap. As a result, the invention overcomes the limitation of ⅓ gap actuation of conventional electrostatic actuation configurations.
151 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electrostatically-controllable actuator comprising:
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a stationary electrode; and
an actuating element separated from the stationary electrode by an actuation gap, the actuating element including a mechanically constrained support region, a deflection region free to be deflected through the actuation gap, and a conducting actuation region extending from about the support region to the deflection region, a commonality in area between the actuation region and the stationary electrode being selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the deflection region over a displacement range extending to a specified point in the actuation gap when an actuation voltage is applied between the actuation region and the stationary electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrostatically-controllable actuator comprising:
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a stationary electrode; and
an actuating element separated from the stationary electrode by an actuation gap, the actuating element including a mechanically constrained support region, a deflection region free to be deflected through the actuation gap, and a conducting actuation region extending from about the support region to the deflection region, a commonality in area between the actuation region and the stationary electrode being selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the deflection region over a specified displacement range when an actuation voltage is applied between the actuation region and the stationary electrode.
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16. An electrostatically-controllable actuator comprising:
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a stationary electrode;
an actuation element separated from the stationary electrode by an actuation gap, the actuation element including a mechanically constrained actuation support region and a conducting actuation region connected to the actuation support region and free to be deflected through the actuation gap; and
an auxiliary element separated from the actuation element by an auxiliary gap, the auxiliary element including a mechanically constrained auxiliary support region connected to the actuation element, and a deflection region connected to the auxiliary support region and free to be deflected through the auxiliary gap, the auxiliary gap being less than the actuation gap and being selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the actuation region over a displacement range extending to a specified point in the actuation gap when an actuation voltage is applied between the actuation region and the stationary electrode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An electrostatically-controllable diffraction grating comprising:
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a plurality of electrically isolated and stationary electrodes formed on a substrate;
a plurality of actuation elements each suspended, by a corresponding mechanically constrained support region, over the substrate by a vertical actuation gap, each actuation element including a conducting actuation region connected to the corresponding actuation support region and free to be deflected through the actuation gap; and
a plurality of mirror elements each including an optically reflecting upper surface and each vertically suspended over a corresponding actuation element by a mechanically constrained mirror support region connected to the corresponding actuation element and defining a vertical mirror gap, each mirror element including a mirror deflection region connected to the mirror support region and free to be deflected through the mirror gap, the mirror gap being less than the actuation gap and being selected to produce controlled and stable displacement of the actuation region through a displacement range to a specified point in the actuation gap when an actuation voltage is applied between the actuation region and a corresponding stationary electrode, for diffracting a beam of light incident on the grating as it is reflected from the upper surfaces of the mirror elements. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification