2-D actuator and manufacturing method thereof

• US 6,995,495 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jin-ho, Ko, Young-chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tamai, Karl I
• Application Number:
  US10/685,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20040081391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 310/309, 359223-226, 359/290, 359/291
• US Class Current: 310/309
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/033 Comb drives
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/058 Rotation out of a plane parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0062 Devices moving in two or more dimensions, i.e. having special features which allow movement in more than one dimension
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/019 Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/008 Laterally driven motors, e.g. of the comb-drive type

Abstract

An actuator includes a stage having a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and seesawing around a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction with respect to a rotation center axis placed along the first direction. A first support portion supports a seesaw motion of the stage. A base facing the stage under the stage at a predetermined interval is supported by the first support portion. A stage driving portion has a plurality of first driving comb electrodes and a plurality of first stationary comb electrodes corresponding to the first driving comb electrodes which are respectively formed on a lower surface of each of the stages and an upper surface of the base facing the stages. A second support portion supports the first support portion so that the first support portion seesaws with respect to a rotation center axis placed along the second direction. A first support portion driving portion has a second driving comb electrode provided at the first support portion and a second stationary comb electrode fixedly positioned to correspond to the second driving comb electrode to generate a seesaw motion of the first support portion.

Claims

1. An actuator comprising:

a stage having a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and seesawing around a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction with respect to a rotation center axis placed along the first direction;

a first support portion supporting a seesaw motion of the stage;

a base facing the stage under the stage at a predetermined interval and supported by the first support portion;

a stage driving portion having a plurality of first driving comb electrodes and a plurality of first stationary comb electrodes corresponding to the first driving comb electrodes which are respectively formed on a lower surface of each of the stages and an upper surface of the base facing the stages;

a second support portion supporting the first support portion so that the first support portion seesaws with respect to a rotation center axis placed along the second direction; and

a first support portion driving portion having a second driving comb electrode provided at the first support portion and a second stationary comb electrode fixedly positioned to correspond to the second driving comb electrode to generate a seesaw motion of the first support portion.

2. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first support portion comprises:

a pair of first torsion bars respectively extending from both sides of the stage in the first direction and parallel to each other; and

a rectangular edge type movable frame having a pair of first portions parallel to each other, to which the first torsion bars are connected, and a pair of second portions extending in the second direction and parallel to each other.

3. The actuator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second support portion comprises:

a pair of second torsion bars respectively extending from the second portion of the first support portion in the second direction; and

a rectangular edge type stationary frame having a pair of second portions parallel to each other, to which the second torsion bars are connected, and a pair of first portions extending in the second direction and parallel to each other.

4. The actuator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stationary frame comprises a first portion stationary frame and a second portion stationary frame at a lower portion of the first portion stationary frame, and the second stationary comb electrode corresponding to the second driving comb electrode extends from the first portion stationary frame.

5. The actuator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the movable frame includes the second portion movable frame at the base'"'"'s side and the first portion movable frame above the second portion movable frame.

6. The actuator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second driving comb electrode extends from the first portion movable frame.

7. The actuator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first torsion bars are integrally formed with the stage and the first portion movable frame, and the second torsion bars are integrally formed with the movable frame and the first portion stationary frame.

8. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second support portion comprises:

a pair of second torsion bars respectively extending from the second portion of the first support portion in the second direction; and

a rectangular edge type stationary frame having a pair of first portions parallel to each other, to which the second torsion bars are connected, and a pair of second portions extending in the second direction and parallel to each other.

9. The actuator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second driving comb electrode and the second stationary comb electrode are arranged deviating from each other in the third direction to form an asymmetrical electric field in the third direction.

10. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the stage driving portion, the first driving comb electrode formed on a lower surface of the stage and the first stationary comb electrode formed on the base are parallel to each other in the third direction and extend alternately.

11. The actuator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first support portion driving portion comprises:

a second driving comb electrode extending in the first direction from each of the first portion of the first support portion; and

a stationary comb electrode formed on the first portion of the second support portion alternately arranged with the second driving comb electrode.

12. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first support portion driving portion comprises:

a second driving comb electrode extending in the first direction from each of the first portion of the first support portion; and

a stationary comb electrode formed on the first portion of the second support portion alternately arranged with the second driving comb electrode.

13. An actuator comprising:

a stage array in which a plurality of stages are arranged parallel to one another, the stage having a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and seesawing around a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction with respect to a rotation center axis placed along the first direction;

a first support portion supporting the stage array to enable a seesaw motion of each stage;

a base facing the stages under the stage array at a predetermined internal and supported by a the first support portion;

a stage driving portion having a first driving comb electrode and a first stationary comb electrode corresponding to the first driving comb electrode which are respectively formed on a lower surface of the stage and an upper surface of the base facing the stage;

a second support portion supporting the first support portion so that the first support portion seesaws with respect to a rotation center axis placed along the second direction; and

a first support portion driving portion having a second driving comb electrode provided at the first support portion and a second stationary comb electrode fixedly positioned to correspond to the second driving comb electrode to generate a seesaw motion of the first support portion.

14. The actuator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first support portion comprises:

a pair of first torsion bars respectively extending from both sides of the stage in the first direction parallel to each other; and

a rectangular edge type movable frame having a pair of first portions parallel to each other, to which the first torsion bars are connected, and a pair of second portions extending in the second direction and parallel to each other.

15. The actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second support portion comprises:

a pair of second torsion bars respectively extending from the second portion of the first support portion in the second direction; and

a rectangular edge type stationary frame having a pair of second portions parallel to each other, to which the second torsion bars are connected, and a pair of first portions extending in the second direction and parallel to each other.

16. The actuator as claimed in claim 15, wherein the stationary frame comprises a first portion stationary frame and a second portion stationary frame at a lower portion of the first portion stationary frame, and the second stationary comb electrode corresponding to the second driving comb electrode extends from the first portion stationary frame.

17. The actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the movable frame includes the second portion movable frame at the base'"'"'s side and the first portion movable frame above the second portion movable frame.

18. The actuator as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second driving comb electrode extends from the first portion movable frame.

19. The actuator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first torsion bars are integrally formed with the stage and the first portion movable frame, and the second torsion bars are integrally formed with the movable frame and the first portion stationary frame.

20. The actuator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second support portion comprises:

a pair of second torsion bars respectively extending from the second portion of the first support portion in the second direction; and

a rectangular edge type stationary frame having a pair of first portions parallel to each other, to which the second torsion bars are connected, and a pair of second portions extending in the second direction and parallel to each other.

21. The actuator as claimed in claim 20, wherein the second driving comb electrode and the second stationary comb electrode are arranged deviating from each other in the third direction to form an asymmetrical electric field in the third direction.

22. The actuator as claimed in claim 13, wherein, in the stage driving portion, the first driving comb electrode formed on a lower surface of the stage and the first stationary comb electrode formed on the base are parallel to each other in the third direction and extend alternately.

23. The actuator as claimed in claim 22, wherein the first support portion driving portion comprises:

a second driving comb electrode extending in the first direction from each of the first portion of the first support portion; and

a stationary comb electrode formed on the first portion of the second support portion alternately arranged with the second driving comb electrode.

24. The actuator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first support portion driving portion comprises:

a second driving comb electrode extending in the first direction from each of the first portion of the first support portion; and

a stationary comb electrode formed on the first portion of the second support portion alternately arranged with the second driving comb electrode.

25. A method of manufacturing an actuator comprising the steps of:

forming an upper structure comprising a stage having a first driving comb electrode formed on a lower surface of the stage in a vertical direction, a first portion movable frame encompassing the stage with a first separation area having a predetermined width, a first portion stationary frame encompassing the first portion movable frame with a second separation area having a predetermined width, a torsion bar extending from both end sides of the stage and connected to the first portion movable frame, a second torsion bar extending from the first portion movable frame in the second direction and connected to the first portion stationary frame, and a plurality of second driving comb electrodes extending from the first portion movable frame in the first direction and disposed in the second separation area;

forming a lower structure comprising a stage corresponding to the stage, a second portion movable frame supporting the base and corresponding to the first portion movable frame, a first stationary comb electrode formed on the base and corresponding to the first driving comb electrode of the stage, a second portion stationary frame corresponding to the first portion stationary frame, a plurality of second stationary comb electrodes extending from the second portion stationary frame to the second separation area in the first direction, parallel to one another, and a temporary connection portion in the second separation area temporarily connecting the second portion movable frame and the second portion stationary frame;

forming the first portion movable frame and the second portion movable frame, and the first portion stationary frame and the second portion stationary frame, contact each other and bonding the same; and

separating a movable frame by removing the temporary connection portion so that the movable frame formed by the first portion movable frame and the second portion movable frame is suspended by the second torsion bar at a stationary frame formed by the first portion stationary frame and the second portion stationary frame.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first portion movable frame and the second portion movable frame, and the first portion stationary frame and the second portion stationary frame, are respectively bonded by eutectic bonding.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein, in the upper structure forming step, the first driving comb electrode and the second driving comb electrode of the movable frame are formed on the lower surface of the stage in a vertical direction.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein, in the lower structure forming step, the first stationary comb electrode corresponding to the first driving comb electrode on the lower surface of the stage and the second stationary comb electrode corresponding to the second driving comb electrode are formed on an upper surface of the substrate.