Abstract: A micro-electromechanical scanner is disclosed for the efficient, controlled deflection of light beams. The device comprises a moving rotor, a suspension system, and a stator. The rotor comprises a closed-circuit coil and a mirror. The suspension system may be, for example, a set of torsion bars on which the rotor is mounted. The stator may be, for example, a rectangular frame holding the suspension system. When placed in a constant magnetic field and excited by an alternating magnet field, the rotor oscillates at the frequency of the alternating magnetic field, All else being equal, the highest deflection angles occur at the natural mechanical resonance frequency of the rotor-suspension combination. Compared to conventional devices, the novel device can be smaller, can be less expensive, can consume less power, and may exhibit higher deflection angles over a given time scale than other micromechanical devices operating on different actuation principles.