Abstract: A scanner comprises a mirror, a first piezoelectric actuator, a second piezoelectric actuator, a third piezoelectric actuator, a fourth piezoelectric actuator, a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a first mirror spring, a second mirror spring, a stationary member, a first plurality of actuator springs, a second plurality of actuator springs, a third plurality of actuator springs, a fourth plurality of actuator springs, a first plurality of electrodes, and a second plurality of electrodes. The scanner is driven by piezoelectric actuators. A method of fabricating the scanner comprises the steps of providing a wafer; oxidation; deposition; patterning; and applying a singulation process.

Abstract: A scanner comprises a mirror, a first piezoelectric actuator, a second piezoelectric actuator, a third piezoelectric actuator, a fourth piezoelectric actuator, a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a first mirror spring, a second mirror spring, a stationary member, a first plurality of actuator springs, a second plurality of actuator springs, a third plurality of actuator springs, a fourth plurality of actuator springs, a first plurality of electrodes, and a second plurality of electrodes. The scanner is driven by piezoelectric actuators. A method of fabricating the scanner comprises the steps of providing a wafer; oxidation; deposition; patterning; and applying a singulation process.

Abstract: An autofocus system is disclosed. The autofocus system includes a lens assembly, an upper actuator, and a lower actuator. The upper and the lower actuators have stationary elements and movable elements. The lens assembly is attached to the movable elements of the upper and the lower actuators. The autofocus system allows three degrees of freedoms of translational adjustments and two degrees of freedoms of rotational adjustments.

Abstract: A zoom function system is disclosed. The zoom function system includes an upper lens assembly, a lower lens assembly, an upper actuator, and a lower actuator. The upper and the lower actuators have stationary elements and movable elements. The upper lens assembly is attached to one of the movable elements of the upper actuator. The lower lens assembly is attached to one of the movable elements of the lower actuator. The zoom function system allows three degrees of freedoms of translational adjustments of lens assemblies and is capable of realigning the lens assemblies to improve the qualities of images.

Abstract: A scanner comprises a mirror, a first and second springs, an insulation layer and a first and second piezoelectric elements. The insulation layer is directly attached to the mirror and the first and second springs. The first and second piezoelectric elements are directly attached to the insulation layer. The first piezoelectric element has a first portion above the first spring, a mid-range portion above the mirror and a second portion above the second spring. The second piezoelectric element has a first portion above the first spring, a mid-range portion above the mirror and a second portion above the second spring. The first piezoelectric element has a first upper electrode layer, a first piezoelectric layer and a first lower electrode layer. The second piezoelectric element has a second upper electrode layer, a second piezoelectric layer and a second lower electrode layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic scanner has a mirror, a first outer slow-scan spring, a second outer slow-scan spring, a plurality of out-of-plane comb assemblies, circuitry for voltage or resistance measurement. Angular positions of a mirror can be determined by changes of resistance of deformed springs located in a leg of the circuitry. The determined angular positions of the mirror can be used for feedback control. The mirror is a one-dimensional mirror to rotate about a first axis or a two-dimensional mirror to rotate about the first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. In one example, the circuitry is Wheatstone bridge circuitry.

Abstract: A scanner comprises a mirror, a first and second springs, an insulation layer and a first and second piezoelectric elements. The insulation layer is directly attached to the mirror and the first and second springs. The first and second piezoelectric elements are directly attached to the insulation layer. The first piezoelectric element has a first portion above the first spring, a mid-range portion above the mirror and a second portion above the second spring. The second piezoelectric element has a first portion above the first spring, a mid-range portion above the mirror and a second portion above the second spring. The first piezoelectric element has a first upper electrode layer, a first piezoelectric layer and a first lower electrode layer. The second piezoelectric element has a second upper electrode layer, a second piezoelectric layer and a second lower electrode layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic scanner has a mirror, a first outer slow-scan spring, a second outer slow-scan spring, a plurality of out-of-plane comb assemblies, circuitry for voltage or resistance measurement. Angular positions of a mirror can be determined by changes of resistance of deformed springs located in a leg of the circuitry. The determined angular positions of the mirror can be used for feedback control. The mirror is a one-dimensional mirror to rotate about a first axis or a two-dimensional mirror to rotate about the first axis and a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. In one example, the circuitry is Wheatstone bridge circuitry.

Abstract: An electrostatic scanner is disclosed. The electrostatic scanner comprises a mirror, one or more actuating comb assemblies, one or more sensing comb assemblies and two or more springs. The one or more sensing comb assemblies each have a movable sensing combteeth set, an upper fixed sensing combteeth set and a lower fixed sensing combteeth set. The upper fixed sensing combteeth set and the movable sensing combteeth set form an in-plane comb configuration. The lower fixed sensing combteeth set and the movable sensing combteeth set form a vertical comb configuration. An upper fixed sensing combtooth of the upper fixed sensing combteeth set is shorter than a lower fixed sensing combtooth of the lower fixed sensing combteeth set.

Abstract: A touch panel system includes micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) groups. Each group includes an emitter producing a beam, and a MEMS mirror located about a corner of a touch panel screen. The MEMS mirror reflects the beam to create a beam sweep across a touch panel surface. An array of photo sensors is located parallel to an edge of the touch panel screen to detect reflected beams from an object about the touch panel surface. Based on when the reflected beams are detected, the angular positions of the MEMS mirrors can be determined and correlated to the object's position.

Abstract: A zoom function system is disclosed. The zoom function system includes an upper lens assembly, a lower lens assembly, an upper actuator, and a lower actuator. The upper and the lower actuators have stationary elements and movable elements. The upper lens assembly is attached to one of the movable elements of the upper actuator. The lower lens assembly is attached to one of the movable elements of the lower actuator. The zoom function system allows three degrees of freedoms of translational adjustments of lens assemblies and is capable of realigning the lens assemblies to improve the qualities of images.

Abstract: An autofocus system is disclosed. The autofocus system includes a lens assembly, an upper actuator, and a lower actuator. The upper and the lower actuators have stationary elements and movable elements. The lens assembly is attached to the movable elements of the upper and the lower actuators. The autofocus system allows three degrees of freedoms of translational adjustments and two degrees of freedoms of rotational adjustments.

Abstract: A two-dimensional electrostatic scanner with distributed springs is disclosed. The two-dimensional electrostatic scanner comprises a frame, a mirror, one or more first-directional comb drives, two or more second-directional comb drives, four or more first-directional springs, and two or more second-directional springs. The four or more first-directional springs may connect to different electrical voltage source or electrical ground.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) magnetometer includes first fixed electrodes, second fixed electrodes, a mobile element to rotate about a first rotation axis along a first direction and translate along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, mobile electrodes extending from the first mobile element and being interdigitated with the first fixed electrodes to form first sensor assemblies, a rotation element coupled to the mobile element to rotate about a second rotation axis along the second direction, the rotation element having a surface opposite the second fixed electrodes to form second sensor assemblies, the second fixed electrode being displaced from the surface of the rotation element along a third direction, and a trace having sections along the first direction and offset from the first rotation axis and along the second direction and offset from the second rotation axis.

Abstract: A method for forming semiconductor devices with wafer-level packaging (WLP) includes providing a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, forming a mask on a silicon layer of the SOI substrate, etching the silicon layer through openings in the mask to form elements initially bonded to but later released from an insulator layer of the SOI substrate, bonding a support substrate to the silicon layer, depositing metal over through holes in the support substrate to contact the silicon layer, and singulating the semiconductor devices from the bonded SOI substrate and the support substrate. The support substrate defines depressions opposite the elements so the elements are not bonded to the support substrate. Each semiconductor device includes a hermetically sealed package having a portion of the SOI substrate and a portion of the support substrate.

Abstract: A touch panel system includes a panel, first and second scanning mirrors located about first and second panel corners, a photodetector array along a first panel edge between the first and the second panel corners, and a stationary plane mirror along a second panel edge adjacent to the first panel edge. The first scanning mirror sweeps a light beam across the panel. The second mirror sweeps another light beam across the panel, a part of which reflects from the stationary plane mirror to back into the panel to sweep the panel from a different angle. The light beams, including the reflected part from the stationary plane mirror, strike objects on the panel and reflect towards the photodetector array. Angular positions of the first and the second scanning mirrors at the times the photodetector array detects the reflected light are correlated to object locations.

Abstract: Two methods of fabricating a MEMS scanning mirror having a tunable resonance frequency are described. The resonance frequency of the mirror is set to a particular value by mass removal from the backside of the mirror during fabrication.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) magnetometer includes first fixed electrodes, second fixed electrodes, a mobile element to rotate about a first rotation axis along a first direction and translate along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, mobile electrodes extending from the first mobile element and being interdigitated with the first fixed electrodes to form first sensor assemblies, a rotation element coupled to the mobile element to rotate about a second rotation axis along the second direction, the rotation element having a surface opposite the second fixed electrodes to form second sensor assemblies, the second fixed electrode being displaced from the surface of the rotation element along a third direction, and a trace having sections along the first direction and offset from the first rotation axis and along the second direction and offset from the second rotation axis.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical (MEMS) switch includes a substrate, stationary actuator comb teeth extending from a stationary actuator pad supported above the substrate, stationary contact comb teeth extending from a stationary contact pad supported above the substrate, and a body suspended over the substrate for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the substrate. The body includes movable actuator comb teeth interdigitated in-plane with the stationary actuator comb teeth where the shortest distance between adjacent movable and stationary actuator comb teeth has a first value. The body further includes movable contact comb teeth interdigitated in-plane with the stationary contact comb teeth where the shortest distance between adjacent movable and stationary contact comb teeth has a second value smaller than the first value.

Abstract: A vacuum sealing process of a micro-electrical-mechanical-system (MEMS) package is provided. Solder is applied to the rimmed bottom of a lid for the package. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device is attached to a substrate for the package. Solder is applied to a lipped top of the substrate. The lid and the substrate are sealed in an elevated temperature and vacuum environment.