Abstract: A light projection system including a light source and a light controller to generate modulatable beams of light and an angular light modulator (ALM) positioned to selectively direct the light from each beam. The light controller can be a spatial light modulator or a processor programmed to control light output. The angular light modulator may be a digital micromirror device (DMD). The ALM may be configured to direct the images into diffraction orders or using scanning the images. A LIDAR system to detect a position of an object including a first source of a two-dimensional array of beams of light and ALM to project light into a selected one of a plurality of directions. An illumination system, comprising a first angular-spatial light modulator (ASLM) and a second ASLM system configured such a first beam and a second beam of light intersect.

Abstract: A device (1) for the generative production of a three-dimensional object (2) by selectively solidifying construction material layers made of solidifiable construction material (3) layer by layer in a successive manner using at least one laser beam (5), comprising at least one device (4) for generating at least one laser beam (5) in order to selectively solidify individual construction material layers made of solidifiable construction material (3) layer by layer. The device (4) comprises at least one laser diode element (10) that is arranged or can be arranged directly over the construction plane (9) on which solidified construction material layers or construction material layers to be solidified are selectively formed and is designed to generate a laser beam (5) directed directly onto the construction plane, and/or the device (4) comprises at least one laser diode element (10) and at least one optical element (27).

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a laser processing apparatus, that perform laser processing on an object with laser light, includes a plurality of optical heads. The optical heads each includes a laser head unit that emits a plurality of laser light beams in an arranged manner in a predetermined direction, and an optical system that focuses the emitted plurality of laser light beams on the object conveyed relatively with respect to the laser head unit in a conveying direction intersecting the predetermined direction. The optical heads each includes a first optical head group and a second optical head group in which the optical heads are adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction. The first optical head group and the second optical head group are adjacent to each other in the conveying direction and arranged while being shifted from each other by a predetermined length in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of construction material layers of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of a laser beam (5) generated by a laser beam generation device (4), comprising:—a laser beam generation device (4) provided for generating a laser beam (5) with beam properties defined by at least one laser beam parameter, especially a beam profile defined by at least one laser beam parameter;—a modulation device (9) assigned to the laser beam generation device (4) provided for purposefully changing at least one laser beam parameter that influences the beam properties, especially the beam profile, of the laser beam (5) generated by the laser beam generation device (4) on the basis of a target value that is or can be specified, especially by a user.

Abstract: Provided is an optical shaping apparatus that includes a light source that outputs diffusion light or converging light as outgoing light, an optical function section that is disposed in an optical path of the outgoing light and modulates the optical path or a phase of the outgoing light, and a sensor that acquires positional data of an object surface. The optical shaping apparatus further includes a controller that controls operation of the optical function section on the basis of the positional data and coordinate data of a shaped article, to apply modulated light generated by the optical function section to the object surface.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to designing and using an overlay target with orthogonal underlayer dummyfill. According to various embodiments, an overlay target may include one or more segmented overlay pattern elements forming at least one overlay target structure. The overlay target may further include one or more inactive pattern elements forming at least one dummyfill target structure. Each of the one or more inactive pattern elements may include dummyfill segmented along an axis orthogonal to a segmentation axis of at least one proximately disposed overlay pattern element. In some embodiments, each of the target structures or layers may be formed from a separate process layer successively disposed upon a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. In some embodiments, the overlay and dummyfill target structures may be twofold or fourfold rotationally symmetric to allow for certain manufacturing or metrology advantages.

Abstract: The invention describes a laser printing system (100) for illuminating an object moving relative to a laser module of the laser printing system (100) in a working plane (180) and a corresponding method of laser printing. The laser module comprises at least two laser arrays (110) of semiconductor lasers (115) and at least one optical element (170). The optical element (170) is adapted to image laser light emitted by the laser arrays (110), such that laser light of semiconductor lasers (115) of one laser array (110) is imaged to one pixel in a working plane (180) of the laser printing system (100) and an area element of the pixel is illuminated by means of at least two semiconductor lasers (115). The optical element does not project or focus laser light of each single semiconductor laser (115) to the working plane (180) but images the whole laser arrays to the working plane.

Abstract: A laser processing system for micromachining a workpiece includes a laser source to generate laser pulses for processing a feature in a workpiece, a galvanometer-driven (galvo) subsystem to impart a first relative movement of a laser beam spot position along a processing trajectory with respect to the surface of the workpiece, and an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) subsystem to effectively widen a laser beam spot along a direction perpendicular to the processing trajectory. The AOD subsystem may include a combination of AODs and electro-optic deflectors. The AOD subsystem may vary an intensity profile of laser pulses as a function of deflection position along a dither direction to selectively shape the feature in the dither direction. The shaping may be used to intersect features on the workpiece. The AOD subsystem may also provide rastering, galvo error position correction, power modulation, and/or through-the-lens viewing of and alignment to the workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a micromachining method for patterning a material. The pattern is made up of a plurality of points. Said method includes the following steps: —emitting a spatially and temporally coherent pulsed light beam; —dynamically shaping said spatially and temporally coherent pulsed light beam in a modulation plane of a dynamic optical modulation device by applying at least one phase modulation so as to shape said light beam in accordance with the plurality of points forming the pattern; and —focusing the thus-shaped light beam, by means of a focusing device, on one surface of said material placed within a working plane in a Fourier configuration relative to the modulation plane.

Abstract: A method for converting a vector-based representation of a desired device pattern for an exposure apparatus, a lithography or exposure apparatus, an apparatus and method to provide data to a programmable patterning device, and a device manufacturing method. In an embodiment, the method for converting outputs a rasterized representation of the desired dose pattern of radiation corresponding to the desired device pattern, wherein the vector-based representation includes primitive data identifying one or more primitive patterns; and instance data identifying how at least a portion of the desired device pattern is formed from one or more instances of each identified primitive pattern, the method including forming a rasterized primitive of each primitive pattern identified in the primitive data, and forming the rasterized representation by storing each rasterized primitive in association with the instance data corresponding to that rasterized primitive.

Abstract: A method of forming a build in a powder bed includes emitting a plurality of laser beams from selected fibers of a diode laser fiber array onto the powder bed, the selected fibers of the array corresponding to a pattern of a layer of the build; and simultaneously melting powder in the powder bed corresponding to the pattern of the layer of the build.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a film, in particular to a laser writable film, and to substances used therein, and components thereof. The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing the film, uses thereof and products comprising the film.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a three-dimensional object from a solidifiable material using a linear solidification device is shown and described. The apparatus and method compensate for a non-orthogonal angle between the travel axis and scanning axis of a linear scanning device and also provide a substantially constant solidification depth along the scanning axis. In certain examples, a solidification energy control system is also provided to regulate the solidification power supplied to the solidifiable material by modulating the power supplied to the linear solidification device's solidification energy source, examples of which include laser diodes.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for obtaining or providing listening involve utilizing one or more electromagnetic signal (energy) detection-facilitated modulation sensing devices to sense audio frequency modulated signals received from or associated with one or more illuminated and/or luminous objects; and generating or providing a listening output of the sensing device(s), the listening output including signals and/or information indicating or providing a representation of a disturbance to an electromagnetic field or fields at or associated with at least one of said one or more objects, the disturbance being or including an audio frequency modulation of a signal from or associated with (e.g., received from) at least one of said one or more objects.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for obtaining or providing listening involve utilizing one or more electromagnetic signal (energy) detection-facilitated modulation sensing devices to sense audio frequency modulated signals received from or associated with one or more illuminated and/or luminous objects; and generating or providing a listening output of the sensing device(s), the listening output including signals and/or information indicating or providing a representation of a disturbance to an electromagnetic field or fields at or associated with at least one of said one or more objects, the disturbance being or including an audio frequency modulation of a signal from or associated with (e.g., received from) at least one of said one or more objects.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for obtaining or providing listening involve utilizing one or more electromagnetic signal (energy) detection-facilitated modulation sensing devices to sense audio frequency modulated signals received from or associated with one or more illuminated and/or luminous objects; and generating or providing a listening output of the sensing device(s), the listening output including signals and/or information indicating or providing a representation of a disturbance to an electromagnetic field or fields at or associated with at least one of said one or more objects, the disturbance being or including an audio frequency modulation of a signal from or associated with (e.g., received from) at least one of said one or more objects.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for obtaining or providing listening involve utilizing one or more electromagnetic signal (energy) detection-facilitated modulation sensing devices to sense audio frequency modulated signals received from or associated with one or more illuminated and/or luminous objects; and generating or providing a listening output of the sensing device(s), the listening output including signals and/or information indicating or providing a representation of a disturbance to an electromagnetic field or fields at or associated with at least one of said one or more objects, the disturbance being or including an audio frequency modulation of a signal from or associated with (e.g., received from) at least one of said one or more objects.

Abstract: MEMS shutters are applied in displays and imaging devices. In a display, sensors may detect light from a light source that is back-reflected by a MEMS shutter and/or ambient light that enters through the MEMS shutter. The sensors may be used to monitor performance of the light source and/or ambient lighting conditions. In an imaging device, MEMS shutters may be applied to selectively block light to prevent overexposed areas within an image.

Abstract: An imaging assembly for directing a pattern of energy at a workpiece includes (i) a reticle that defines a reticle array that includes a plurality of spaced apart, transmitting regions; (ii) an illumination source that generates an illumination beam; and (iii) a director assembly that selectively directs the illumination beam at the reticle array, the director assembly includes a plurality of director elements that are individually controlled to selectively control the beam pattern that is directed at the reticle array.

Abstract: In order to realize a high-speed switching of structured pattern, a structured illuminating microscopy includes a driving unit generating a sonic standing wave in a sonic wave propagation path by giving a driving signal for vibrating a medium of the sonic wave propagation path to a light modulator, an illuminating optical system making at least three diffracted components of the exit light flux passed through the sonic wave propagation path to be interfered with one another, and forming interference fringes on an observational object, an image-forming optical system forming an image by an observational light flux from the observational object on a detector, and a controlling unit controlling a contrast of an image by modulating at least one of an intensity of the exit light flux, an intensity of the observational light flux, and the detector with a modulating signal of 1/N frequency of the driving signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for compensating for process direction banding associated with a document processing system including a ROS. According to one exemplary embodiment, a ROS driver uses a plurality of beam delay/advance values to compensate for banding caused by an interaction of a halftone pattern and process direction density variations associated with the ROS.

Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus has an optical unit. The optical unit has a light splitter to split an incident beam into two beams; a first spatial light modulator which can be arranged in an optical path of a first beam; a second spatial light modulator which can be arranged in an optical path of a second beam; and a light combiner which combines a beam having passed via the first spatial light modulator, with a beam having passed via the second spatial light modulator; each of the first spatial light modulator and the second spatial light modulator has a plurality of optical elements arranged two-dimensionally and controlled individually.

Abstract: Provided are a high-resolution laser exposure method and a product manufactured with use of the laser exposure method, the laser exposure method being capable of performing high-resolution laser plate-making in gravure plate-making, offset plate-making, flexo plate-making, and the like, and being usable in laser exposure of a circuit pattern in an electronic component such as a printed circuit board, a liquid crystal display, and a plasma display, or in special printing for prevention of forgery of banknotes and the like. The laser exposure method, which uses a laser exposure apparatus, includes: scanning laser beams to form a laser spot array having a predetermined length on a photosensitive film; and exposing the photosensitive film coated on a plate surface to light, to thereby form a photosensitized part and a non-photosensitized part.

Abstract: A light beam emission apparatus separates, via a half mirror, apart of a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser towards a photosensitive member, guides the separated laser beam to an optical sensor to detect a light quantity, and controls the light quantity based on the detected result. The light beam emission apparatus includes a first light blocking member located between the semiconductor laser and the half mirror, and a second light blocking member located between the half mirror and the optical sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method to flash print an image. The apparatus includes an energy source that delivers energy. The apparatus includes an energy pulse width modulator coupled to the energy source. The energy pulse width modulator may receive energy from the energy source and modulate the energy received from the energy source. The energy pulse width modulator may be driven by a logic module. The apparatus also includes a plurality of imaging pixels modulated by the energy pulse width modulator and conveying modulated energy to a host material. The host material may be in close proximity to a receiving medium and the modulated energy may release dye from the host material into the receiving medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to laser ablation microlithography. In particular, we disclose a new SLM design and patterning method that uses multiple mirrors per pixel to concentrate energy to an energy density that facilitates laser ablation, while keeping the energy density on the SLM mirror surface at a level that does not damage the mirrors. Multiple micro-mirrors can be reset at a very high frequency, far beyond current DMD devices.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a light reflecting section having light reflectivity; a movable section which includes the light reflecting section and can be displaced; two link sections connected to positions of ends of the movable section, the positions facing each other; a supporting section supporting the link sections; and a displacement providing section turning the two link sections, wherein each link section includes a turnable drive section, and a shaft section connecting the movable section and the drive section and bending in a thickness direction of the movable section by turning of the drive section.

Abstract: A laser scanning assembly generates a laser beam and scans the laser beam through a plurality of scan lines to form desired dots. Each scan line is positioned to overlap an adjacent scan line and each dot includes a plurality of segments. The scanning assembly scans the laser beam through multiple scan lines to fully discharge each segment of each dot. The laser scanner assembly would typically be part of a laser printer.

Abstract: An electrooptic device having a simple structure that can efficiently increase deflection of a beam is provided. The device includes: an electrooptic crystal (11) having an electrooptic effect; an electrode pair of a positive electrode (12) and a negative electrode (13) for generating an electric field inside the electrooptic crystal; and a power source for applying a voltage between the electrode pair so as to generate a space charge inside the electrooptic crystal. With this arrangement, by using a simple structure, a change in a deflection angle is temporally rapid, and a large deflection angle that cannot be obtained by a conventional electrooptic crystal prism can be acquired at a low applied voltage.

Abstract: An electrooptic device having a simple structure that can efficiently increase deflection of a beam is provided. The device includes: an electrooptic crystal (11) having an electrooptic effect; an electrode pair of a positive electrode (12) and a negative electrode (13) for generating an electric field inside the electrooptic crystal; and a power source for applying a voltage between the electrode pair so as to generate a space charge inside the electrooptic crystal. With this arrangement, by using a simple structure, a change in a deflection angle is temporally rapid, and a large deflection angle that cannot be obtained by a conventional electrooptic crystal prism can be acquired at a low applied voltage.

Abstract: Generally, polymeric members and laser marking methods for producing visible marks on polymeric members, such as on thin and/or curved surfaces. The laser marking methods can include methods of laser marking straws with the step of matching laser source properties to the properties of straws being marked or with the step of laser marking straws having photochromic dyes.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator corrects for imperfections in printed material caused by the vertical rotation of a photosensitive image forming surface, such as a photoconductive drum. The piezoelectric actuator may be mounted to the base of a reflective surface holder, such as a mirror holder, that holds a mirror. The reflective surface holder may be operable to horizontally rotate the mirror as the mirror reflects a laser onto the photosensitive image forming surface. A power supply in communication with the piezoelectric actuator applies a voltage to the piezoelectric actuator. The resulting voltage allows the piezoelectric actuator to tilt the mirror in a vertical direction. A memory storage device may store tilt adjustment data usable by a microprocessor or controller to control the amount of voltage the power supply supplies to the piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: A method for generating an elongated concentrated scan image on an imaging surface of a scan structure (e.g., a drum cylinder) in an imaging (e.g., xerographic or lithographic) apparatus, wherein the imaging surface is caused to move in a cross-scan (process) direction. A spatial light modulator having a two-dimensional array of light modulating elements is used to modulate a two-dimensional light field in response to predetermined scan image data, and then the modulated light is anamorphically imaged and concentrated onto an elongated imaging region defined on the imaging surface. To avoid smearing, movement of the imaging surface is synchronized with the modulated states of the light modulating elements such that image features of the scan image are scrolled (moved in the cross-scan direction) at the same rate as the cross-scan movement of the imaging surface, whereby the features remain coincident with the same portion of the imaging surface.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and/or a system of laser marking of an interior cavity of a securing means of a substance container is disclosed. In one embodiment, a solid-state laser marking system to mark a securing means of a substance container includes a semiconductor laser to emit a pumping laser beam. The solid-state laser marking system also includes a resonator to create the laser beam that is then focused through a lens to mark the securing means of the substance container having a maximum diameter of 5 cm. Further, the solid-state laser marking system includes a solid-state laser crystal doped with a rare-earth element, to produce a laser beam in response to being pumped by the pumping laser beam and a laser resonator. The laser resonator is configured to focus the laser beam of a spot size of less than 150 microns and a beam quality of M2 less than 1.3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to laser ablation microlithography. In particular, we disclose a new SLM design and patterning method that uses multiple mirrors per pixel to concentrate energy to an energy density that facilitates laser ablation, while keeping the energy density on the SLM mirror surface at a level that does not damage the mirrors. Multiple micro-mirrors can be reset at a very high frequency, far beyond current DMD devices.

Abstract: Single-chip, multiple-linear-array MEMS form the basis for high-resolution, high-frame-rate video displays.

Abstract: A light from a laser light source (11) is collected at a position of a slit (125a) in a vertical direction by a first optical system (12a) to form an intermediate image which is long in a horizontal direction corresponding to an arrangement direction of light modulator elements. An undesired light such as side lobes which appear on the both sides of the intermediate image in the vertical direction is blocked by a slit (125a) and the intermediate image is reformed by a second optical system (12b), to direct a liner illumination light onto the spatial light modulator (13). Thus, in a state where moving ribbons are sagged and first order diffracted lights are emitted in a light modulator element, it is possible to prevent a zeroth order light from being emitted from both end portions of ribbons, to thereby enhance contrast of the signal light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image bearing member; an exposure head having an imaging optical system and N light-emitting elements (where N is an integer) disposed in a first direction that emit light forming an image upon the latent image bearing member through the imaging optical system; an FM screen whose unit of processing is M in the first direction, M being greater than N; and a controller that performs a screening process on image data using the FM screen.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for estimating a banding profile in an image printing system is disclosed. The method includes obtaining image data across multiple measurement intervals by one or more sensors; combining the image data with timing information into a coherent signal by a processor; estimating periodic and aperiodic components of the coherent signal using least squares estimation by the processor, wherein the periodic component represents a banding profile; and wherein at least the periodic component is used to generate an output.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for estimating a banding profile in an image printing system is disclosed. The method includes obtaining image data across multiple measurement intervals by a sensor; combining the image data with timing information into a coherent signal by a processor; determining aperiodic components of the coherent signal by the processor; determining the periodic component of the coherent signal using spline interpolation, wherein the periodic component represents a banding profile, by the processor; and printing an output print with a correction applied based on the banding profile.

Abstract: A laser driving device in the embodiment includes: a laser light source that emits laser light; a light source drive control unit that adjusts a light amount of laser light emitted from the laser light source constant and controls on-off driving of the laser light source; a light amount adjustment element that is disposed in an optical path of laser light emitted from the laser light source and is capable of electrically changing transmittance or reflectance of the laser light that is entered thereinto; and a peak light amount control unit that controls the transmittance or the reflectance of the light amount adjustment element, so as to adjust a peak light amount of the laser light that is output from the light amount adjustment element after having traveled through or having been reflected by the light amount adjustment element.

Abstract: A laser printer arranged to print a pixellated image on laser sensitive tape includes a carriage on which are arranged two laser-beam sources delivering separately modulated laser-beams and optics for focusing the beams on the tape. The tape is mounted on a tape drive which drives the tape incrementally in one direction. The carriage is translated over the tape in a direction perpendicular to the tape-drive direction, while the modulated beams are focused. Two rows of the pixellated image are drawn across the tape in this manner. The tape is then incremented and a further two rows are drawn.

Abstract: A linear dense-packed spatial light modulator (LDSLM) and method of modulating light using the same are provided. In one embodiment, the LDSLM comprises a plurality of two dimensional (2D) modulators grouped proximal to one another on a surface of a substrate to form a densely-packed, linear array having a plurality of pixels along a longitudinal axis of the array. Each pixel includes a number of 2D modulators electrically coupled to receive a common drive signal and to modulate light reflected therefrom in response to the drive signal. Preferably, each pixel includes at least two 2D modulators grouped along a transverse axis of the array. More preferably, the number of 2D modulators along the transverse axis in each pixel is selected to provide a desired power density while avoiding an undesired thermal gradient across the LDSLM. The LDSLM and method are particularly useful in printing applications. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided in an optical disc apparatus for drawing a visible image on an optical disc including a discoloration layer which is discolored by heat or light by irradiating the optical disc with laser light. The integrated circuit includes a tracking direction displacement section configured to execute, when the visible image is drawn, oscillation control to oscillate a position irradiated with the laser light in a radial direction of the optical disc, and a laser modulation section configured to change, when the visible image is drawn, an intensity of the laser light so that the higher a displacement rate of the position irradiated with the laser light in the radiation direction is, the higher the intensity of the laser light becomes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes: a laser beam source; plural photoconductive members corresponding to plural colors; a modulation drive unit for performing pulse width modulation for each of colors by an image clock having a cycle of a pixel length,; a single piece of polygon mirror whose reflection surfaces are disposed in a rotation direction thereof with a plurality of different inclination angles with colors; a beam detector that is disposed adjacent to the photoconductive member; and an image clock/data switching unit configured to generate the image clock of a frequency varying with the colors for making the same a color-based image magnification, and switch the image clocks generated for each of the colors in synchronization with a detection signal coming from the beam detector.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device, when pixel density is taken to be n, number of the light beams is taken to be b, and number of the deflection surfaces of a deflecting unit is taken to be p, a spatial frequency S denoted by S=1/(1/(25.4/n×b×p) is within a range of a spatial frequency characteristic for a visual perception system of a high relative luminous efficiency. When spacing between ends in a sub-scanning direction of a scanning line formed by one scan by the deflection unit is taken to be L1, and spacing between all progressive scanning lines at the surface to be scanned is taken to be L2, then L1>(k?1)×L2 is satisfied, where k is a total number of light emitting points of a light source.

Abstract: A laser marking system including a laser apparatus to supply a laser beam having a non-Gaussian irradiance distribution over a beam cross-section, the non-Gaussian irradiance distribution of the laser beam has a substantially uniform irradiance distribution over the beam cross-section, a spatial light modulator coupled to receive the laser beam, the spatial light modulator is controlled to generate an output laser beam including an optical pattern across the beam cross-section to mark a target object with the data code matrix, and an optical amplifier coupled to the spatial modulator to receive the laser beam output from the spatial light modulator and generate an amplified laser beam containing the same optical pattern as generated by the spatial light modulator, the amplified laser beam from the optical amplifier having a substantially uniform amplification across the cross-section of the beam, the amplified beam maintaining the substantially uniform irradiance distribution over its beam cross-section.

Abstract: An optical pickup device according to the present invention includes: a first light source that outputs a first laser beam; a second light source that outputs a second laser beam; and an optical system that irradiates an information medium with the first and second laser beams. The information medium includes: an information layer on which user data is written; and a recording layer on which visible information, which is directly visible to a user, is recorded. The optical pickup device is characterized by outputting the first laser beam in writing the user data on the information layer but outputting the second laser beam in recording the visible information on the recording layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a laser array in which n light emitting sources are arrayed, an image-input converting unit configured to create, for each of channels of the laser array, a recording pattern for executing PWC from input image data and extract recording patterns of an nth channel and a first channel of the next scanning of the laser array, an overlapping control unit configured to calculate the width of laser pulses in the same position in a main scanning direction as overlapping width, a data correcting unit configured to reduce laser pulse width by a reduction amount corresponding to the calculated overlapping width and correct the laser pulse width, and a laser driver configured to control the intensity of laser beams in the respective channels of the laser array according to the recording patterns after the correction.

Abstract: A pair of support members each having a spring section in a part thereof support a mirror element, and a pair of drive mechanisms arranged respectively corresponding to a pair of the support members transform the spring sections of the corresponding support members, thereby changing a distance between each of support points at which the support members support the mirror element and a base. Accordingly, the mirror element can be translated by driving all of the drive mechanisms, or the mirror element can be inclined with respect to the base by driving some of the drive mechanisms.