Abstract: A driving mechanism configured to turn a plate member with respect to a frame member around a predetermined turning axis includes a pair of supporting members supporting the plate member, a pair of actuators provided on both sides with respect to the turning axis and on the same surface side of the plate member. Each of the actuators includes a fixed electrode unit fixed to the frame member and a movable electrode unit fixed to the plate member. The fixed electrode unit includes a substrate, a pair of fixed comb electrodes provided on both surface sides of the substrate. The movable electrode unit includes a pair of movable comb electrodes, each of which engages with the corresponding fixed comb electrode with a gap therebetween. Both pairs of the fixed comb electrode and the corresponding movable comb electrode are configured such that a voltage can be applied therebetween independently.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing head is intended to perform at least one of a record operation of recording information onto a dielectric recording medium and a reproduction operation of reproducing the information from the dielectric recording medium. The recording/reproducing head is provided with: a support member which extends in a longitudinal direction; a projection portion which is mounted on the support member such that a tip of the projection portion faces the dielectric recording medium; and a conductive layer which covers a part other than at least the tip out of the projection portion, the projection portion containing a harder material than that of the conductive layer.

Abstract: A deflector which deflects a charged particle beam includes a substrate having an opening through which the charged particle beam should pass, and a deflection electrode which is arranged in the opening to deflect the charged particle beam and has a first conductive member and second conductive member which are formed by plating. The second conductive member is formed on a surface of the first conductive member and is essentially made of a material that is more difficult to oxidize than the first conductive member.

Abstract: A deflector which deflects a charged particle beam includes a substrate having an opening through which the charged particle beam should pass, and a deflection electrode which is arranged in the opening to deflect the charged particle beam and has a first conductive member and second conductive member, which are formed by plating. The second conductive member is formed on the surface of the first conductive member and is made of a material that is more difficult to oxidize than the first conductive member. The first conductive member is made of a material having smaller residual stress than the second conductive member.

Abstract: A bimorph switch electrically connecting a traveling contact and a fixed contact. The switch comprises a substrate having a front face, a rear face, and a through hole penetrating from the front face to the rear face; a fixed contact extending from an edge portion of the aperture of the through hole towards the inside of the aperture; and a bimorph section holding the traveling contact at a position facing the aperture and driving the traveling contact. One end of the bimorph section may be formed on a silicon oxide layer formed on a front face of the substrate.

Abstract: A high-sensitive and high accuracy vibrating type pressure sensor (1) allowing a corrosive gas pressure to be directly applied thereto, having a heat resistance, and having no room for mixing of noise into a vibrator, comprising a stainless steel pressure receiving diaphragm (4) for receiving a fluid pressure P on a rear surface side, the vibrator (12) formed on the front surface side of the pressure receiving diaphragm (4), a wall body (8) disposed so as to surround the periphery of the vibrator (12), and a permeable part (20) for light transmission for changing an internal space in which the vibrator (12) is present into a vacuum chamber (10) by closing an opening part (8a) in the wall body (8), whereby, since the diaphragm (4) is formed of the stainless steel with corrosion resistance, the sensor can also be applied to corrosive fluid, since circuit wiring is eliminated from the vibrator (12) and the vibrator is isolatedly disposed in the vacuum chamber (10), mixing of electromagnetic noise can be eliminat

Abstract: A capacitive vacuum sensor includes an elastic diaphragm electrode and a rigid fixed electrode opposite the elastic diaphragm electrode. An internal space is defined between the elastic diaphragm electrode and the rigid fixed electrode. The elastic diaphragm electrode deflects elastically in response to any change in the pressure of a gas applied on the elastic diaphragm electrode, and the capacitive vacuum sensor is responsive to any change in the capacitance between the elastic diaphragm electrode and the rigid fixed electrode that may occur in accordance with the deflection of the elastic diaphragm electrode so that it can measure the pressure of the gas. The vacuum sensor can include an anticorrosive diaphragm electrode that can resist the corrosive action of the reactive gas when it is exposed to such gas, and can be fabricated by the micromachining technology.

Abstract: An active guide wire (1) that can be used in a narrow blood vessel in a complicate vascular system such as intracerebral is disclosed as well as a method of making the same. The active wire comprises a bias coil spring (3); an outer tube (4) having the bias coil spring (3) sheathed therewith and providing an external wall for the active wire guide (1); and a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator (5) in the form of a flat sheet anchored in and securely connected to the outer tube (4), wherein the flat sheet SMA actuator (5) is shape memorized so as to bend in a direction of the thickness of the flat sheet and has a shape running zigzag longitudinally thereof. The actuator (5) is energized with an electric current and thereby heated to have its leading end bent.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing head for performing at least one of a record operation of recording information onto a dielectric recording medium and a reproduction operation of reproducing the information from the dielectric recording medium, the recording/reproducing head provided with: a support member which extends in a longitudinal direction; and a projection portion which is mounted on the support member such that a tip of the projection portion faces the dielectric recording medium, the support member having a rounded shape at a surface thereof on a side facing the dielectric recording medium, at least in a mounted portion on which the projection portion is mounted.

Abstract: The micro-switch couples electrically a first terminal to a second terminal. The micro-switch includes: a first supporting member where the first terminal is provided; a moving unit where the second terminal corresponding to the first terminal is provided; a driving unit for bringing the second terminal into contact with the first terminal by driving the moving unit in a direction of the first terminal by supplying power; an electrode provided in the first supporting member, and for supplying power to the driving unit; an elastic terminal including the elastic unit having elasticity in a predetermined direction; and a pushing terminal contacting the elastic terminal by pushing the elastic unit, the pushing terminal being electrically coupled to the electrode.

Abstract: An electrostatic comb drive actuator, characterized in that plural outer suspended elastic beams 2a and 2b are disposed in parallel to and outside plural inner suspended elastic beams 1a and 1b disposed in parallel to each other; the ends of the inner suspended elastic beams and the outer suspended elastic beams on both sides are connected with end connecting beams 3a and 3b; the outer suspended elastic beams are supported at their centers on a board 5; the inner suspended elastic beams are connected with each other at their centers by means of a working section 6; a movable comb electrode 7 is supported on the working section; and a fixed comb electrode 8 is supported on the board.

Abstract: A deflector which deflects a charged particle beam includes a substrate having an opening through which the charged particle beam should pass, and a deflection electrode which is arranged in the opening to deflect the charged particle beam and has a first conductive member and second conductive member, which are formed by plating. The second conductive member is formed on the surface of the first conductive member and is made of a material that is more difficult to oxidize than the first conductive member. The first conductive member is made of a material having smaller residual stress than the second conductive member.

Abstract: An active slender tube as implemented as a catheter, guide wire, or any other medical or non-medical micro-mechanical or -system or system's active micro-component is disclosed that has a simple structure which facilitates the active slender tube to be reduced in diameter and with the capability of being multi-functionalized. The slender tube is provided in its distal, active end portion in the form of “J” with a bending, a torsionally rotating, an extending and retracting and/or a stiffness control mechanism. These mechanisms are adapted to bend, torsionally rotate, extend/retract and adjust stiffness of, the active end portion, respectively, with precision. Each mechanism comprises an outer skeleton including a liner coil spring, and an SMA (shape memory alloy) made coil actuator disposed inside of the liner coil coaxially therewith and fastened thereto.

Abstract: A scanning mirror unit for scanning a beam comprises: at least one cantilever which is formed by bonding an elastic material and a piezoelectric material together and supported by a base at its one end; and a movable mirror which is supported at least by a free end of the cantilever at its peripheral part. When voltage is applied to the piezoelectric material, the free end of the cantilever moves in a prescribed direction to press and move the peripheral part of the movable mirror while leaving a central part of the movable mirror at substantially the same position to cause a tilt to the movable mirror. With such composition of the scanning mirror unit, a reflecting member having a sufficient thickness (e.g. some hundreds of microns) can be employed for the movable mirror, by which a high power laser beam effective for treatment of affected parts, etc. can be reflected finely and durably.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a thin miniaturized reactor for chemical reaction with effective use of heat. The reactor has paired channels formed on a substrate such that the channels extend close to and along each other and are provided with a heat exchanger for efficient heat exchange between the channels. The reactor is produced by forming on substrates the paired channels and heat exchanger and then bonding the substrates together. This manufacturing method is simple and reduces steps.

Abstract: A high-sensitive and high accuracy vibrating type pressure sensor (1) allowing a corrosive gas pressure to be directly applied thereto, having a heat resistance, and having no room for mixing of noise into a vibrator, comprising a stainless steel pressure receiving diaphragm (4) for receiving a fluid pressure P on a rear surface side, the vibrator (12) formed on the front surface side of the pressure receiving diaphragm (4), a wall body (8) disposed so as to surround the periphery of the vibrator (12), and a permeable part (20) for light transmission for changing an internal space in which the vibrator (12) is present into a vacuum chamber (10) by closing an opening part (8a) in the wall body (8), whereby, since the diaphragm (4) is formed of the stainless steel with corrosion resistance, the sensor can also be applied to corrosive fluid, since circuit wiring is eliminated from the vibrator (12) and the vibrator is isolatedly disposed in the vacuum chamber (10), mixing of electromagnetic noise can be eliminat

Abstract: A reflective movable diaphragm unit 2 having diaphragm portions 25 formed by a circular SiO2 film, a mesa portion 22 and light-reflecting mirror portion 23 of the SiO2 film disposed in the center, and a ring-shaped spacer 24a and bonding layer 24b formed of metal layers in the circumferential edge portion of the diaphragm portion 25, whereby a pressure sensor is formed.

Abstract: This invention provides a reliable blanking aperture array. An insulating layer and conductive layer are sequentially formed on the lower surface of a substrate. Then, a plurality of pairs of opposing trenches are formed in the substrate, and an insulating layer is formed on each of the side surfaces of the trenches by thermal oxidation. The conductive layer is exposed by etching the bottom of each trench. A conductive member is selectively grown in each trench using the conductive layer as a plating electrode to form a blanking electrode. An opening is formed between the opposing blanking electrodes.

Abstract: A capacitive vacuum sensor includes an elastic diaphragm electrode and a rigid fixed electrode opposite the elastic diaphragm electrode. An internal space is defined between the elastic diaphragm electrode and the rigid fixed electrode. The elastic diaphragm electrode deflects elastically in response to any change in the pressure of a gas applied on the elastic diaphragm electrode, and the capacitive vacuum sensor is responsive to any change in the capacitance between the elastic diaphragm electrode and the rigid fixed electrode that may occur in accordance with the deflection of the elastic diaphragm electrode so that it can measure the pressure of the gas. The vacuum sensor can include an anticorrosive diaphragm electrode that can resist the corrosive action of the reactive gas when it is exposed to such gas, and can be fabricated by the micromachining technology.

Abstract: A pressure transducer designed to transform static pressure or dynamic pressure applied to a diaphragm into a corresponding electrical signal and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The transducer includes a fixed electrode formed in an upper surface of a substrate and a moving electrode provided in the diaphragm disposed above the fixed electrode through a cavity. The substrate has formed in the bottom thereof at least one hole which is used in a manufacturing process for removing a sacrificial layer formed between the diaphragm and the upper surface of the substrate in dry etching to form the cavity.