Micromachine structure

• US 7,742,219 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kurozuka, Akira, Tomita, Hironori, Mushika, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman; Scott J
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US11/910,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20090279163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 359290-292, 359/295, 359223-225, 359/245, 359260-263, 359/298, 359/198, 359301-303, 359317-318, 359/237, 359/242
• US Class Current: 359/291
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/1362 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/13925 active, e.g. controlled by electrical or mechanical means

Abstract

A micro-mechanical structure according to the present invention includes: a base 1; an elastic supporting member 5 having elasticity, the elastic supporting member 5 being formed on the base 1; and a movable section supported by the elastic supporting member 5 so as to be capable of making a relative move with respect to the base 1. This movable section includes a movable electrode 6 opposing the base 1 via a first gap, and a mirror 8 being affixed to the movable electrode 6 via a vertical rib 7.

Claims

1. A micro-mechanical structure comprising:

a base;

an elastic supporting member having elasticity, the elastic supporting member being formed on the base; and

a movable section supported by the elastic supporting member so as to be capable of making a relative move with respect to the base, wherein,

the movable section includes;

a first plate portion opposing the base via a first gap; and

a second plate portion having a link portion, the second plate portion being affixed to the first plate portion via the link portion;

wherein the link portion is a vertical rib protruding from the second plate portion toward the first plate portion, and the vertical rib includes;

a portion having a first height so as to be in contact with the first plate portion; and

a portion having a second height so as to oppose the elastic supporting member via a second gap, the second height being smaller than the first height;

the elastic supporting member and the first plate portion are formed so as to be coplanar with each other, and the elastic supporting member is made integral with the first plate portion; and

the second plate portion is shaped so as to cover at least a portion of the elastic supporting member, and the vertical rib is not in contact with the elastic supporting member.

2. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, comprising a light reflecting surface in at least a portion of the second plate portion.

3. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the second gap is narrower than the first gap.

4. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the first plate portion and the elastic supporting member are formed of a same metal material and have a same thickness.

5. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the second plate portion and the link portion are formed of a same metal material.

6. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the second plate portion has an area of no less than 100 μ

m² and no more than 1 mm².

7. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein,

the first plate portion and the second plate portion each have a thickness of no less than 0.1 μ

m and no more than 5 μ

m; and

the link portion has a thickness of no less than 0.2 μ

m and no more than 10 μ

m.

8. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, wherein the link portion is formed of a metal material which is buried in a trench in a sacrificial layer above the first plate portion.

9. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 8, wherein the metal material is aluminum, copper, nickel, or an alloy containing at least one such metal.

10. The micro-mechanical structure of claim 1, further comprising a stationary electrode provided on the base, the stationary electrode opposing the first plate portion via a third gap, wherein,

the first plate portion and the stationary electrode function as an electrostatic actuator.

11. An optical pickup comprising:

a light source for emitting a light beam;

an objective lens for converging the light beam onto an optical disk;

a photodetector for receiving the light beam reflected from the optical disk and generating an electrical signal; and

an aberration correcting device for correcting an aberration of the light beam, wherein,

the aberration correcting device includes;

a base;

an elastic supporting member having elasticity, the elastic supporting member being formed on the base; and

a movable section supported by the elastic supporting member so as to be capable of making a relative move with respect to the base, wherein,

the movable section includes;

a first plate portion opposing the base via a first gap; and

a second plate portion having at least one vertical rib, the second plate portion being affixed to the first plate portion via the vertical rib;

wherein the vertical rib includes;

a portion having a first height so as to be in contact with the first plate portion; and

a portion having a second height so as to oppose the elastic supporting member via a second gap, the second height being smaller than the first height;

the elastic supporting member and the first plate portion are formed so as to be coplanar with each other, and the elastic supporting member is made integral with the first plate portion; and

the second plate portion is shaped so as to cover at least a portion of the elastic supporting member, and the vertical rib is not in contact with the elastic supporting member.

12. An optical disk apparatus comprising:

a motor for rotating an optical disk;

an optical pickup for accessing a desired track on the optical disk; and

a signal processing section for reproducing data from the optical disk based on an output from the optical pickup, wherein,

the optical pickup includes;

a light source for emitting a light beam;

an objective lens for converging the light beam onto an optical disk;

a photodetector for receiving the light beam reflected from the optical disk and generating an electrical signal; and

an aberration correcting device for correcting an aberration of the light beam, wherein,

the aberration correcting device includes;

a base;

an elastic supporting member having elasticity, the elastic supporting member being formed on the base; and

a movable section supported by the elastic supporting member so as to be capable of making a relative move with respect to the base, wherein,

the movable section includes;

a first plate portion opposing the base via a first gap; and

a second plate portion having at least one vertical rib, the second plate portion being affixed to the first plate portion via the vertical rib;

wherein the vertical rib includes;

a portion having a first height so as to be in contact with the first plate portion; and

a portion having a second height so as to oppose the elastic supporting member via a second gap, the second height being smaller than the first height;

the elastic supporting member and the first plate portion are formed so as to be coplanar with each other, and the elastic supporting member is made integral with the first plate portion; and

the second plate portion is shaped so as to cover at least a portion of the elastic supporting member, and the vertical rib is not in contact with the elastic supporting member.

13. A display device comprising:

a light source for emitting a light beam;

a light source driving section for modulating an intensity of the light beam in accordance with an image signal; and

a scan mirror section for scanning a screen with the light beam, wherein,

the scan mirror section includes;

a base;

an elastic supporting member having elasticity, the elastic supporting member being formed on the base; and

a movable section supported by the elastic supporting member so as to be capable of making a relative move with respect to the base, wherein,

the movable section includes;

a first plate portion opposing the base via a first gap; and

a second plate portion having at least one vertical rib, the second plate portion being affixed to the first plate portion via the vertical rib, wherein,

the vertical rib includes;

a portion having a first height so as to be in contact with the first plate portion; and

a portion having a second height so as to oppose the elastic supporting member via a second gap, the second height being smaller than the first height;

the elastic supporting member and the first plate portion are formed so as to be coplanar with each other, and the elastic supporting member is made integral with the first plate portion; and

the second plate portion is shaped so as to cover at least a portion of the elastic supporting member, and the vertical rib is not in contact with the elastic supporting member; and

wherein

the second plate portion functions as a mirror for reflecting the light beam.