Abstract: A meandering oscillator includes a plurality of oscillating plates bent and coupled in predetermined directions and piezoelectric actuators each including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric body, and an upper electrode stacked on the oscillating plate in this order, and wherein the piezoelectric actuators are alternately arranged on the oscillating plates. Thus, even when an element is made smaller, electrodes can be easily arranged. As a result, the productivity can be improved.

Abstract: An optical reflection element has a frame-shaped supporting body, a first oscillator and a second oscillator each having a meander shape, and a mirror portion. A line segment connecting a joining position between the mirror portion and the first oscillator to a joining position between the supporting body and the first oscillator, and a line segment connecting a joining position of the mirror portion and the second oscillator to a joining position of the supporting body and the second oscillator cross a mirror portion central axis. As one illustrative condition to be satisfied, an outer circumference of at least any one of turn portions of the first oscillator and the second oscillator is deviated from a first end portion axis that is parallel to the mirror portion central axis and extends along a first side of the mirror portion.

Abstract: An optical reflection element includes a mirror portion and an oscillator coupled to the mirror portion. The oscillator includes a base, an insulating layer, a drive element, and a monitor element. The insulating layer is formed on the base. The drive element and the monitor element are formed on the insulating layer, and are separated from each other by a separation groove. Each of the drive element and the monitor element includes a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer formed in that order on the insulating layer. The monitor element has high detection accuracy, allowing the optical reflection element to perform self-excited driving with high accuracy.

Abstract: A first oscillating portion is provided with a first piezoelectric element having a first drive electrode. A second oscillating portion has a central axis different from that of the first oscillating portion and is provided with a second piezoelectric element having a second drive electrode. The first drive electrode and the second drive electrode are connected together.

Abstract: An optical reflection device includes a mirror having a reflection surface configured to reflect light, a first support beam connected to the mirror, a tuning fork vibrator connected to the first support beam, a second support beam connected to the tuning fork vibrator, and a supporter connected to the second support beam. The first support beam has a first end connected to the mirror and a second end located on an opposite side to the first end, and extends along a center axis. The tuning fork vibrator includes a joining portion connected to the second end of the first support beam, a first arm extending from the first joining portion while separated from the first center axis, and a second arm extending from the first joining portion symmetrically to the first arm about the first center axis. The second support beam has a third end connected to the joining portion of the tuning fork vibrator and a fourth end located on an opposite side to the third end, and extends along the first center axis.

Abstract: An optical reflecting element includes a mirror, and a pair of high-frequency vibrators and a pair of low-frequency vibrators for vibrating the mirror. The high-frequency vibrators include a substrate, a bottom electrode layer formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric layer, and a drive electrode and a first monitor electrode as the top electrode layer. One end of the low-frequency vibrator has the substrate shared with the high-frequency vibrator, a bottom electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, a drive electrode, and a second monitor electrode as the top electrode layer. The other end of the low-frequency vibrator has the substrate shared with the high-frequency vibrator, a bottom electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, a drive electrode, a first monitor electrode, and an insulator layer as a dead zone for preventing a piezoelectric effect due to the piezoelectric layer from reaching the first monitor electrode.

Abstract: An optical reflecting element includes a mirror, and a pair of high-frequency vibrators and a pair of low-frequency vibrators for vibrating the mirror. The high-frequency vibrators include a substrate, a bottom electrode layer formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric layer, and a drive electrode and a first monitor electrode as the top electrode layer. One end of the low-frequency vibrator has the substrate shared with the high-frequency vibrator, a bottom electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, a drive electrode, and a second monitor electrode as the top electrode layer. The other end of the low-frequency vibrator has the substrate shared with the high-frequency vibrator, a bottom electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, a drive electrode, a first monitor electrode, and an insulator layer as a dead zone for preventing a piezoelectric effect due to the piezoelectric layer from reaching the first monitor electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed is an angular velocity sensor for achieving downsizing of a variety of electronic devices. For this purpose, the angular velocity sensor has a subtracter for outputting a first differential signal based on two sensor signals output from a first sensing electrode unit and a second sensing electrode unit, an adder for outputting a first additional signal, another subtracter for outputting a second differential signal based on two sensor signals output from a third sensing electrode unit and a fourth sensing electrode unit, and another adder for outputting a second additional signal. The sensor then detects an angular velocity from an additional signal obtained based on the first differential signal and the second differential signal and a differential signal obtained based on the first additional signal and the second additional signal.

Abstract: An optical reflection element has a frame-shaped supporting body, a first oscillator and a second oscillator each having a meander shape, and a mirror portion. A line segment connecting a joining position between the mirror portion and the first oscillator to a joining position between the supporting body and the first oscillator, and a line segment connecting a joining position of the mirror portion and the second oscillator to a joining position of the supporting body and the second oscillator cross a mirror portion central axis. An outer circumference of at least any one of turn portions of the first oscillator and the second oscillator is deviated from a first end portion axis that is parallel to the mirror portion central axis and extends along a first side of the mirror portion.

Abstract: An optical reflection element includes a mirror portion and an oscillator coupled to the mirror portion. The oscillator includes a base, an insulating layer, a drive element, and a monitor element. The insulating layer is formed on the base. The drive element and the monitor element are formed on the insulating layer, and are separated from each other by a separation groove. Each of the drive element and the monitor element includes a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer formed in that order on the insulating layer. The monitor element has high detection accuracy, allowing the optical reflection element to perform self-excited driving with high accuracy.

Abstract: An optical reflection device includes a flexible substrate, an elastic portion connected with an end of the flexible substrate, an optical reflector coupled with the flexible substrate via the elastic portion, a first electrode layer provided on the flexible substrate, and a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode layer. The optical reflection device may have a small size.

Abstract: A first oscillating portion is provided with a first piezoelectric element having a first drive electrode. A second oscillating portion has a central axis different from that of the first oscillating portion and is provided with a second piezoelectric element having a second drive electrode. The first drive electrode and the second drive electrode are connected together.

Abstract: A meandering oscillator includes a plurality of oscillating plates bent and coupled in predetermined directions and piezoelectric actuators each including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric body, and an upper electrode stacked on the oscillating plate in this order, and wherein the piezoelectric actuators are alternately arranged on the oscillating plates. Thus, even when an element is made smaller, electrodes can be easily arranged. As a result, the productivity can be improved.

Abstract: An optical reflection device includes a mirror having a reflection surface configured to reflect light, a first support beam connected to the mirror, a tuning fork vibrator connected to the first support beam, a second support beam connected to the tuning fork vibrator, and a supporter connected to the second support beam. The first support beam has a first end connected to the mirror and a second end located on an opposite side to the first end, and extends along a center axis. The tuning fork vibrator includes a joining portion connected to the second end of the first support beam, a first arm extending from the first joining portion while separated from the first center axis, and a second arm extending from the first joining portion symmetrically to the first arm about the first center axis. The second support beam has a third end connected to the joining portion of the tuning fork vibrator and a fourth end located on an opposite side to the third end, and extends along the first center axis.

Abstract: An optical reflection device includes a flexible substrate, an elastic member provided, an elastic portion connected with an end of the flexible substrate, an optical reflector coupled with the flexible substrate via the first elastic portion, a first electrode layer provided on the flexible substrate, and a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode layer. The optical reflection device may have a small size.

Abstract: Disclosed is an angular velocity sensor for achieving downsizing of a variety of electronic devices. For this purpose, the angular velocity sensor has a subtracter for outputting a first differential signal based on two sensor signals output from a first sensing electrode unit and a second sensing electrode unit, an adder for outputting a first additional signal, another subtracter for outputting a second differential signal based on two sensor signals output from a third sensing electrode unit and a fourth sensing electrode unit, and another adder for outputting a second additional signal. The sensor then detects an angular velocity from an additional signal obtained based on the first differential signal and the second differential signal and a differential signal obtained based on the first additional signal and the second additional signal.

Abstract: An inertial force sensor includes a weight, a first fixing portion linked to the weight, a second fixing portion linked to the weight via the first fixing portion, a first electrode on a first surface of the weight, a second electrode facing the first electrode, and first and second elastic portions elastically deforming so as to displace the weight. The first elastic portion displaces the weight along an X-axis but not along any of a Y-axis and a Z-axis. The second elastic portion displaces the first fixing portion along the Y-axis but not along any of the X-axis and the Z-axis. This inertial force sensor detects an acceleration at high sensitivity.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor detects an angular velocity of an object. The angular velocity sensor includes a detecting element, and a driving unit. The detecting element includes a supporting part, a first arm extending from the supporting part and being adapted to be fixed to the object, a second arm extending from the supporting part, and a first weight connected with the second arm. The second arm has substantially a U-shape and includes a first extending part extending from the supporting part, a first facing part facing the first extending part and extending in parallel with the first extending part, and a first joint part joining the first extending part to the first facing part. The first weight is connected with the facing part of the second arm. The driving unit includes first to fourth drivers. The first driver is provided at the first extending part and extends and contracts the first extending part.

Abstract: An optical reflection device includes a mirror adapted to reflect light thereon, a first meander vibration beam supporting the mirror rotatably about the first rotation axis, a movable frame connected to the first meander vibration beam, a second meander vibration beam supporting the movable frame rotatably about a second rotation axis, and a supporter connected to the second meander vibration beam. The first meander vibration beam meanderingly extends along a first rotation axis, and has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The movable frame is connected to the second end of the first meander vibration beam. The second meander vibration beam extends meanderingly along the second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and has a third end and a fourth end opposite to the third end. The supporter is connected to the fourth end of the second meander vibration beam. The mirror is coupled to the movable frame only via the first meander vibration beam.

Abstract: A driving piezoelectric bimorph element for tuning fork vibration and a detecting piezoelectric bimorph element for angular rate detection are aligned and put together, end to end, with their vibration directions positioned perpendicular to each other.Two of the above structure are made into a tuning fork like angular rate sensor. The polarization directions of the piezoelectric elements, that make up the piezoelectric bimorph element by bonding them together are made the same and also the two outer electrodes of the bimorph element are connected electrically with each other, with a resultant angular rate sensor capable of detecting angular rates in a stable manner against changing ambient temperatures. Particularly, the use of a conductive film electrode for making a connection between two outer electrodes and the almost equal surface areas between two outer electrodes made it possible for the angular rate sensor to detect angular rates with much stability and less temperature drifts.