MEMS device control with filtered voltage signal shaping

• US 7,428,353 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adriatic Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Adriatic Research Institute
• Inventors: Milanovic, Veljko, Castelino, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): CONNELLY, MICHELLE R
• Application Number:
  US11/465,835
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/18
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means

Abstract

A MEMS system is disclosed. The system includes a MEMS device having including a gimbal-less device mount supported by two or more bi-axial linkages. Each bi-axial linkage is mechanically coupled between the device mount and an actuator. Each bi-axial linkage is distinct from the actuator. Each bi-axial linkage includes a first flexure beam configured to flex about a first axis and a second flexure beam attached to the first flexure beam. The second flexure beam is configured to flex about a second axis. The two or more bi-axial linkages provide the device mount with two or more degrees of freedom of movement. The bi axial linkages and device mount are formed from the same device layer. The MEMS device has a mechanical response that is approximately proportional to a square of a drive voltage. A signal converter is adapted to convert a signal representing a desired position of the MEMS device to a voltage and a filter is coupled to the signal converter. The filter has a substantially flat group delay response. The filter doesn'"'"'t retain any frequencies at or near a natural resonant frequency ω_n of the MEMS device. An output of the filter or signal converter is coupled to MEMS device to provide the drive voltage.

Claims

1. A MEMS system, comprising:

a MEMS device, the MEMS device including a device mount, a first rotational actuator having a first rotation axis, a second rotational actuator having a second rotation axis, wherein the first and second rotation axes are non-parallel, a first bi-axial linkage coupled between the device mount and the first rotational actuator without an intervening frame, wherein the first biaxial linkage includes a first flexure beam configured to flex about a first flexure axis and a second flexure beam configured to flex about a second flexure axis that is non-parallel to the first flexure axis; and

a second bi-axial linkage coupled between the device mount and the second rotational actuator without an intervening frame, wherein the second biaxial linkage includes a third flexure beam configured to flex about a third flexure axis and a fourth flexure beam configured to flex about a fourth flexure axis that is non-parallel to the third flexure axis, wherein the first and second bi-axial linkages provide the device mount with two or more degrees of freedom of movement, wherein the first and second bi-axial linkages and device mount are formed from the same device layer;

wherein the MEMS device has a mechanical response that is approximately proportional to a square of a drive voltage;

a signal converter adapted to convert a signal representing a desired position of the MEMS device to a voltage;

a filter coupled to the signal converter;

wherein an output of the filter or signal converter is coupled to the MEMS device to provide the drive voltage.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter is an analog or digital low pass filter, Bessel filter, Butterworth filter, or notch filter.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an amplifier coupled between the signal converter and the MEMS device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal converter is a look up table.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal converter produces an output that is proportional to a square root of the position signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the actuators include one or more combdrives.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the actuators include one or more un-balanced uni-directional rotators comprised of either a down-force or an up-force vertical combdrive on either side or on both sides of a rotating axis.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the bi-axial linkages include a bi-axial linkage having a first flexure beam configured to flex about a first axis, a second flexure beam attached to the first flexure beam, wherein the second flexure beam is configured to flex about a second axis, wherein the second axis is non-parallel to the first axis, the bi-axial linkage further having a third flexure beam attached to the second flexure beam in a spaced-apart substantially parallel relationship to the second flexure beam, wherein the third flexure beam is configured to flex about a third axis that is substantially parallel to the second axis.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first axis is substantially perpendicular to the second and third axes.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the biaxial linkage is mechanically coupled to the device mount.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter has a substantially flat group delay response.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter is of a type that reduces excitation of the MEMS device at or near a natural resonant frequency ω

_n of the MEMS device or a harmonic or subharmonic of the natural resonant frequency ω

_n.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter is implemented as a finite impulse (FIR) filter or infinite impulse response (IIR) filter or a FIR approximation of an IIR filter.

22. The system of claim 10 wherein the biaxial linkage is mechanically coupled to the device mount by a beam attached at a first end to the third flexure beam and attached at a second end to the device mount.

14. A MEMS system, comprising:

a MEMS device, the MEMS device including a device mount, an actuator coupled to the device mount, wherein the actuator is configured to impart motion to the device mount, wherein the MEMS device has a mechanical response that is approximately proportional to a square of a drive voltage;

a signal converter adapted to convert a signal representing a desired position of the MEMS device to a voltage;

a filter coupled to the signal converter;

wherein an output of the filter or signal converter is coupled to MEMS device to provide the drive voltage,

wherein the filter is a system inverse filter characterized by a frequency response that is approximately an inverse of a mechanical frequency response of the MEMS device,

wherein the frequency response of the inverse filter is further characterized by one or more poles at frequencies outside a range of interest.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the frequency response of the device is further characterized by one or more poles and one or more zeroes, wherein the number of poles is greater than or equal to the number of zeroes.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the frequency response of the inverse filter is further characterized by two or more poles at frequencies outside a range of interest.

17. A MEMS system, comprising:

a MEMS device, the MEMS device including a gimbal-less device mount supported by two or more bi-axial linkages with each bi-axial linkage mechanically coupled between the device mount and an actuator, wherein each bi-axial linkage is distinct from the actuator, wherein each bi-axial linkage includes a first flexure beam configured to flex about a first axis and a second flexure beam attached to the first flexure beam, wherein the second flexure beam is configured to flex about a second axis, wherein the two or more bi-axial linkages provide the device mount with two or more degrees of freedom of movement, wherein the bi-axial linkages and device mount are formed from the same device layer,

wherein the MEMS device has a mechanical response that is approximately proportional to a square of a drive voltage;

a signal converter adapted to convert a signal representing a desired position of the MEMS device to a voltage;

a filter coupled to the signal converter, wherein an output of the filter or signal converter is coupled to MEMS device to provide the drive voltage; and

a modulator signal source and a transformer coupled between the MEMS device and the signal converter or filter, wherein the modulator signal source is adapted to apply a modulating signal at a frequency greater than about 5 times larger than the natural mechanical resonant frequency ω

_n to the drive voltage.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the transformer has a substantially flat response and high voltage gain at around a frequency of the modulating signal and within a bandwidth of the modulating signal.

19. A MEMS system, comprising:

a MEMS device, the MEMS device including a gimbal-less device mount supported by two or more bi-axial linkages with each bi-axial linkage mechanically coupled between the device mount and an actuator, wherein each bi-axial linkage is distinct from the actuator, wherein the actuator includes one or more balanced rotators comprised of opposing down-force and up-force vertical combdrives on either side of a rotating axis, wherein each bi-axial linkage includes a first flexure beam configured to flex about a first axis and a second flexure beam attached to the first flexure beam,

wherein the second flexure beam is configured to flex about a second axis, wherein the two or more bi-axial linkages provide the device mount with two or more degrees of freedom of movement, wherein the bi-axial linkages and device mount are formed from the same device layer,

wherein the MEMS device has a mechanical response that is approximately proportional to a square of a drive voltage;

a signal converter adapted to convert a signal representing a desired position of the MEMS device to a voltage;

a filter coupled to the signal converter, wherein an output of the filter or signal converter is coupled to MEMS device to provide the drive voltage.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the actuator includes one or more balanced bi-directional rotators comprised of opposing down-force and up-force vertical combdrives on either side of a rotating axis, respectively.

21. A MEMS system, comprising:

a MEMS device, the MEMS device including a gimbal-less device mount supported by two or more bi-axial linkages with each bi-axial linkage mechanically coupled between the device mount and an actuator, wherein each bi-axial linkage is distinct from the actuator, wherein each bi-axial linkage includes a first flexure beam configured to flex about a first axis and a second flexure beam attached to the first flexure beam, wherein the second flexure beam is configured to flex about a second axis, wherein the second axis is non-parallel to the first axis, the bi-axial linkage further having a third flexure beam attached to the second flexure beam in a spaced-apart substantially parallel relationship to the second flexure beam, wherein the third flexure beam is configured to flex about a third axis that is substantially parallel to the second axis, wherein the first second and third flexure beams are characterized by substantially different coefficients of torsional stiffness, wherein the two or more bi-axial linkages provide the device mount with two or more degrees of freedom of movement, wherein the bi-axial linkages and device mount are formed from the same device layer,

wherein the MEMS device has a mechanical response that is approximately proportional to a square of a drive voltage;

a signal converter adapted to convert a signal representing a desired position of the MEMS device to a voltage;

a filter coupled to the signal converter, wherein an output of the filter or signal converter is coupled to MEMS device to provide the drive voltage.