Reflective Element Moved By Deformable Support Patents (Class 359/224.1)
  • Patent number: 11605478
    Abstract: A method of making a mirror for use with extreme ultraviolet or x-ray radiation includes: i) providing a base substrate having a curved surface, wherein the curved surface deviates from a curvature of a target mirror surface at high spatial frequencies corresponding to spatial periods less than 2 mm; and ii) securing a first side of a thin plate to the curved surface of the base substrate to cover the curved surface, wherein the plate has a thickness thin enough to conform to the curvature of the target mirror surface and thick enough to attenuate deviations at the high spatial frequencies on a second side of the thin plate opposite the first side that are caused by the deviations on the curved surface of the base substrate. A mirror made by the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: John Matthew Kincade
  • Patent number: 11556000
    Abstract: A distally-actuated scanning mirror includes: a mirror block with reflective surface on one side; torsional hinges with proximal ends rigidly attached to the mirror block, and with distal ends attached to flexural structures configured to transform translational motion of the piezoelectric elements into rotational motion of the distal ends of the hinges; and piezoelectric elements providing such translational motion. The distally-actuated scanning mirror also includes flexural structures made of separate flexures attached to the opposite surfaces of the distal ends of the hinges, which flexural structures have defined thinned-down flexural points. Portions of the distally-actuated scanning mirror may be 3D printed and/or fabricated by silicon MEMS technology. The mirror is fabricated from a Silicon-on-Insulator wafer, having a relatively thick (e.g., 380 um) handle layer, and a relatively thin e.g., 50 um), where photolithography with backside-alignment allows separate patterning of these two layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Red Creamery LLC
    Inventors: Ron Goldman, Dmitry Yavid, Igor Paprotny, Christopher Silvio Cosentino
  • Patent number: 11520139
    Abstract: A rotating steering mirror assembly comprising a first wedge rotatable relative to a base and a second wedge rotatable relative to the first wedge to controllably tilt a mirror on an outward- or forward-facing surface of the second wedge. Respective motors can independently rotate the first and second wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dennis J. Adams, Alan F. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 11474346
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a mirror that includes a mirror reflection surface, a driving part that drives the mirror, and a fixed frame that supports the mirror via the driving part. The fixed frame includes one or more inspection patterns that are formed while at least one of the mirror and the driving part is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Sudo
  • Patent number: 11460662
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical devices and systems, specifically those related to light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems. An example device includes a shaft defining a rotational axis. The shaft includes a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The device also includes a rotatable mirror disposed about the shaft. The rotatable mirror includes a multi-sided structure having an exterior surface and an interior surface. The multi-sided structure includes a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The second coefficient of thermal expansion is different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion. The multi-sided structure also includes a plurality of reflective surfaces disposed on the exterior surface of the multi-sided structure. The multi-sided structure yet further includes one or more support members coupled to the interior surface and the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Blaise Gassend, Ryan Davis, David Duff
  • Patent number: 11434130
    Abstract: Described examples include an apparatus having a substrate with a substrate surface. The apparatus also includes an element with a planar surface facing the substrate surface and with a nonplanar surface opposite the planar surface facing away from the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Patrick Ian Oden, James Norman Hall
  • Patent number: 11385456
    Abstract: A device and method for pivotally positioning a moveable member, wherein a magnetically conductive base member is arranged opposite the magnetically conductive moveable member with a gap provided therebetween. A first magnet is arranged for providing a first magnetic flux through the base member and the moveable member such as to provide at least two first magnetic closed flux paths. A second electromagnet is arranged for providing a second magnetic flux through the base member and the moveable member such as to provide at least one second magnetic closed flux path. The second electromagnet is configured for changing, in one or more of the at least two first magnetic closed flux paths, a resulting magnetic flux provided by the first magnetic flux and the second magnetic flux such as to pivot the moveable member by means of the pivot member. The moveable member is pivotally suspended using a flexural pivot member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventor: Stefan Kuiper
  • Patent number: 11366015
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical infrared sensing device is provided, which includes a substrate, a sensing plate, a reflecting plate, a plurality of first supporting elements, a plurality of second supporting elements and a plurality of stoppers. The second supporting elements are connected to the sensing plate, such that the sensing plate is suspended above the substrate. The reflecting plate is disposed between the substrate and the sensing plate. The first supporting elements are connected to the reflecting plate, such that the reflecting plate is suspended between the substrate and the reflecting plate. When the reflecting plate moves toward the substrate and at least one of the stoppers contacts the substrate or the reflecting plate, the distance between the reflecting plate and the sensing plate increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Bor-Shiun Lee, Ming-Fa Chen
  • Patent number: 11360300
    Abstract: An actuator includes an arm starting end having a piezoelectric element, a first end of the arm starting end connected to an inner side of a fixed frame, the arm starting end extending in a straight line, along a Y-axis direction through a gap between the fixed frame and a mirror surface, from the first end to beyond a middle point of an outer side of the mirror surface; an arm terminating end including a first end connected to the middle point of the outer side of the mirror surface, the arm terminating end extending parallel to the arm starting end; and an arm relay that connects a second end of the arm starting end to a second end of the arm terminating end, the arm relay being formed in a zigzag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Ogata, Shogo Kurogi
  • Patent number: 11356059
    Abstract: An oscillator system includes a first oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a first rotation axis at a first oscillation frequency; a second oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a second rotation axis at a second oscillation frequency; a driver circuit configured to generate a first driving signal to drive an oscillation of the first oscillator structure with a first oscillation phase and the first oscillation frequency and generate a second driving signal to drive an oscillation of the second oscillator structure with a second oscillation phase and the second oscillation frequency. The first oscillation frequency and the second oscillation frequency have a variable frequency ratio with respect to each other that varies over time. The driver circuit is configured to modulate at least one of the first oscillation phase or the second oscillation phase to modulate the variable frequency ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventors: David Brunner, Georg Schitter, Richard Schroedter, Han Woong Yoo
  • Patent number: 11327295
    Abstract: A MEMS device is formed in a die of semiconductor material having a cavity defined therein and having an anchorage portion. A tiltable structure is elastically suspended over the cavity and has a main extension in a horizontal plane. First and second supporting arms extend between the anchorage portion and opposite sides of the tiltable structure. First and second resonant piezoelectric actuation structures are intended to be biased to thereby cause rotation of the tiltable structure about a rotation axis. The first supporting arm is formed by first and second torsion springs, which are rigid to movements out of the horizontal plane and compliant to torsion about the rotation axis and are coupled together at a constraint region. The first and second resonant piezoelectric actuation structures extend between the anchorage portion and the constraint structure, on first and second sides of the first supporting arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Nicolo' Boni, Massimiliano Merli
  • Patent number: 11323797
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer is disposed within a wearable sound device or to be disposed within the wearable sound device. The acoustic transducer includes a first anchor structure and a first flap. The first flap includes a first end and a second end. The first end is anchored by the first anchor structure, and the second end is configured to perform a first up-and-down movement to form a vent temporarily. The first flap partitions a space into a first volume to be connected to an ear canal and a second volume to be connected to an ambient of the wearable sound device. The ear canal and the ambient are connected via the vent temporarily opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: xMEMS Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Jemm Yue Liang, Chiung C. Lo, Martin George Lim, Wen-Chien Chen, Michael David Housholder, David Hong
  • Patent number: 11312618
    Abstract: A microdevice (100) comprising a movable element (111) capable of moving relative to a fixed part (115), produced in first and second layers of material (104, 106) arranged one above the other such that the movable element comprises a portion (112) of the first layer and a portion (118) of the second layer secured to each other, and wherein the movable element is suspended from the fixed part by a suspension structure (121) formed in the first and/or second layer of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ÉNERGIES ALTERNATIVES SAFRAN
    Inventors: Audrey Berthelot, Mikaël Colin, Alain Jeanroy, Guillaume Lehee, Olivier Vancauwenberghe, Philippe Onfroy, Jean-Sébastien Mace
  • Patent number: 11287643
    Abstract: A displacement enlarging mechanism includes a substrate, a fixing portion provided at the substrate, an actuator coupled to the fixing portion, a beam extending in a direction substantially parallel to an upper surface of the substrate and having a base end side has been coupled to the actuator and coupled to the fixing portion and having folded back in a direction crossing the upper surface of the substrate, and a coupling portion and a mirror coupled to a folded-back portion formed by folding back of the beam. The actuator drives the beam to push or pull the beam from the base end side in the direction of the folded-back portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO PRECISION PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mario Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 11290626
    Abstract: A swivelling module able to capture light from any desired direction includes a light-transmitting housing, a reflecting element in the light-transmitting housing, a plurality of magnets disposed on a periphery of the reflecting element, and a plurality of electromagnetic induction coils disposed on corners of the light-transmitting housing. When the electromagnetic induction coils are energized, the electromagnetic induction coils interact with the magnets to drive the reflecting element to rotate to a desired direction. An imaging device and an electronic device including the swivelling module are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Zhi-Gao Dong
  • Patent number: 11274035
    Abstract: A overhanging device cavity structure comprises a substrate and a cavity disposed in or on the substrate. The cavity comprises a first cavity side wall and a second cavity side wall opposing the first cavity side wall on an opposite side of the cavity from the first cavity side wall. A support extends from the first cavity side wall to the second cavity side wall and at least partially divides the cavity. A device is disposed on, for example in direct contact with, the support and extends from the support into the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
    Inventors: Raja Fazan Gul, Ronald S. Cok, Steven Kelleher, António José Marques Trindade, Alin Mihai Fecioru, David Gomez, Christopher Andrew Bower, Salvatore Bonafede, Matthew Alexander Meitl
  • Patent number: 11221478
    Abstract: A MEMS scanner may include a first flexible arm extending substantially in a forward direction and a base connected to a proximal end of the first flexible arm, the base being thicker than the first flexible arm in a vertical direction. The MEMS scanner may further include a second flexible arm connected to a distal end of the first flexible arm, the second flexible arm extending substantially in a reverse direction. The MEMS scanner may further include a mirror coupled to a distal end of the second flexible arm. In one implementation, the MEMS scanner may be a non-resonant scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Utku Baran, Wyatt Owen Davis, Joshua Owen Miller
  • Patent number: 11212624
    Abstract: A MEMS-transducer comprises a membrane structure having a first main surface and a second main surface opposing the first main surface. A substrate structure holds the membrane structure, wherein the substrate structure overlaps with the first main surface of the membrane structure in a first edge region being adjacent to a first inner region of the first main surface. A gap is formed between the membrane structure and the substrate structure in the first edge region and extends from the first inner region into the first edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Klein, Karolina Gierl, Markus Meyer
  • Patent number: 11199696
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first actuator, a second actuator, a first frame provided between the first actuator and the second actuator, a first connection member connecting the first actuator and the first frame to each other, a second connection member connecting the first actuator and the first frame to each other at a position different from a position at which the first connection member connects the first actuator and the first frame to each other, a third connection member connecting the second actuator and the first frame to each other, a fourth connection member connecting the second actuator and the first frame to each other at a position different from a position at which the third connection member connects the second actuator and the first frame to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Honam Kwon, Koichi Ishii, Ikuo Fujiwara, Kazuhiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11175491
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanner that implements piezoelectric actuation principles to facilitate rotational displacement of a mirror device. The present disclosure includes a MEMS scanning device having a mirror device, a torsional beam structure, and piezoelectric actuators having a shape that facilitates torsional force to be applied to the torsional beam structure and cause the mirror device to rotate about a longitudinal axis. The MEMS scanning device may further include a lever device including multiple stages to both transfer torsional force from the actuators and prevent different actuators from countering torsional forces of other actuators. Moreover, the MEMS scanning device may further include sensor elements to measure torsional forces and control movement of the mirror device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Utku Baran
  • Patent number: 11169372
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes a light source configured to output laser light, and a mirror configured to reflect the laser light from the light source. The light scanning apparatus includes a mirror driving unit configured to resonantly drive the mirror in a first direction and non-resonantly drive the mirror in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. The light scanning apparatus includes a first sensor configured to output a signal in accordance with a first deflection angle at which the mirror is oriented with respect to the first direction. The light scanning apparatus includes a second sensor configured to output a signal in accordance with a second deflection angle at which the mirror is oriented with respect to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Kimura
  • Patent number: 11119160
    Abstract: A planar Hall sensing element includes a first pair of sensing electrodes mutually opposed in a first direction across the sensing element and a second pair of sensing electrodes mutually opposed in a second direction across the sensing element, with the second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A first pair of bias electrodes is mutually opposed in a third direction and a second pair mutually opposed in a fourth direction across the sensing element, the fourth direction orthogonal to the third direction. The third and fourth directions are rotated 45° with respect to the first and second directions so each sensing electrode is arranged between a bias electrode of the first pair and second pair. A DC bias current is supplied between the first and second pairs of bias electrodes. First and second Hall voltages are sensed at the first and second pairs of sensing electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Marco Crescentini, Michele Biondi, Marco Tartagni, Aldo Romani, Roberto Canegallo
  • Patent number: 11086122
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical device includes a body of semiconductor material, which forms a cavity, a mobile structure, and an actuation structure. The actuation structure includes at least one first deformable element which faces the cavity and is mechanically coupled to the body and to the mobile structure, and a piezoelectric-actuation system which can be controlled so as to deform the first deformable element and cause a consequent rotation of the mobile structure. The mobile structure includes a supporting region and at least one first pillar region, the first pillar region being mechanically coupled to the first deformable element, the supporting region being set on the first pillar region and overlying at least part of the first deformable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Carminati, Massimiliano Merli, Nicolo′ Boni
  • Patent number: 11042024
    Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided methods and devices for detecting open and/or short circuits in MEMS micro-mirror devices, which use relative comparisons of voltage levels within the MEMS micro-mirror devices for detecting the occurrence of open and/or short circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Eric Chevallaz, Nicolas Abele
  • Patent number: 10996432
    Abstract: A reflective active variable lens includes an upper electrode, a lower electrode disposed in parallel to the upper electrode, a deformation part disposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a reflective part disposed on the upper electrode, and a support part disposed to surround the deformation part. Here, the deformation part and the support part are connected to each other to provide a single structure, the deformation part is expanded from an initial shape when an electric field is formed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, and the expanded deformation part is contracted when the electric field is removed and restored to the initial shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Suntak Park, Bong Je Park, Ki-Uk Kyung, Seung Koo Park, Sung Ryul YuN, Seongcheol Mun, Jeong Muk Lim
  • Patent number: 10976539
    Abstract: An actuator includes a driving beam that includes a beam extending in a direction orthogonal to a predetermined axis and supports an object to be driven, a driving source that is formed on a first surface of the beam and causes the object to rotate around the predetermined axis, and a rib formed on a second surface of the beam. A notch is formed in a portion of the driving source corresponding to an end of the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kensuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 10928679
    Abstract: An optical compensation element includes a first member that includes a first transparent substrate, a first alignment film, and a first phase difference layer and a second member that includes a second transparent substrate, a second alignment film, and a second phase difference layer. In the optical compensation element, a first inorganic barrier layer is formed on a surface of the first phase difference layer, where the surface faces the second member a second inorganic barrier layer is formed on a surface of the second phase difference layer, where the surface faces the second member and the first inorganic barrier layer and the second inorganic barrier layer are bonded by an adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akiko Toriyama, Koichi Nagasawa, Tsuyoshi Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10928625
    Abstract: An actuator device includes at least one stationary unit, with at least one electromagnetic actuator element which is movable relative to the stationary unit, and with at least one shape-memory element which is implemented at least partly of a shape-shiftable shape-memory material, wherein the shape-memory element is configured, in at least one operation state, to at least partly hinder a movement of the actuator element in a first movement direction and in a second movement direction that differs from the first movement direction, at least via a mechanical deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: ETO MAGNETIC GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schiepp, Markus Laufenberg
  • Patent number: 10914937
    Abstract: A pivot apparatus, in particular a pivot apparatus for a micromirror, a fixed base frame being connected, directly or indirectly via an intermediate frame, to a pivotable carrier element. Spring elements having flexural springs are respectively disposed between the base frame and carrier element, base frame and intermediate frame, and intermediate frame and carrier element. The use of flexural springs enables good thermal coupling between the individual components, and an increase in robustness. The pivot apparatus can be embodied in particular as a microelectromechanical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Ralf Noltemeyer, Arnd Kaelberer, Peter Sudy, Hans Artmann
  • Patent number: 10852232
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Fabry-Perot interferometer including two plane mirror surfaces mounted in a frame and a system including the interferometer. The mirrors have a known distance between them, and at least one of the mirror surfaces is both partially reflective and partially reflective, where there are at least two actuator units, each including at least one actuator. The first actuator unit is adapted to adjust said distance between said mirrors and the second actuator unit is adapted to modulate said distance at a chosen frequency, both thus providing a variation over a range of mirror distances corresponding to a range of filtered wavelengths in said Fabry-Perot interferometer. At least one of said mirrors is related to the frame through a silicon membrane, at least one of said actuator units comprising a piezoelectric material on said membrane, thus constituting a bimorph or unimorph actuator unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Tunable AS
    Inventor: Ib-Rune Johansen
  • Patent number: 10852529
    Abstract: In a mirror driving apparatus, a pair of beam portions includes: a pair of first beams directly adjacent to a reflector to sandwich the reflector between the first beams; and a pair of second beams each coupled to one side of a corresponding one of the first beams, the one side being opposite to the reflector with respect to the corresponding one of the first beams. A plurality of electrodes are spaced from each other on a main surface of each of the first beams, a piezoelectric material being interposed between the main surface and the plurality of electrodes. The first beams are displaceable crosswise to the main surface in respective directions opposite to each other. The pair of second beams is displaceable in a direction connecting the first beams and the second beams, along the main surface of the second beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Ito, Nobuaki Konno, Yoshiaki Hirata, Yukihisa Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10845570
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical device (1) for enhancing the resolution of an image, comprising: a transparent plate member (10) configured for refracting a light beam (20) passing through the plate member (10), which light beam (20) projects an image comprised of rows and columns of pixels (40), a carrier (50) to which said transparent plate member (10) is rigidly mounted, wherein the carrier (50) is configured to be tilted between a first and a second position about a first axis (A), such that the plate member (10) is tilted between the first and the second position about the first axis (A), whereby said projected image (30) is shifted by a fraction (?P) of a pixel, particularly by a half of a pixel, along a first direction (x), and an actuator means (60) that is configured to tilt the carrier (50) and therewith the plate member (10) between the first and the second position about the first axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: OPTOTUNE AG
    Inventors: Manuel Aschwanden, David Niederer, Mark Ventura, Marcel Suter, David Stadler, Stephan Smolka, Roman Patscheider, Markus Geissner
  • Patent number: 10816733
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an optical routing device that includes an organic substrate. According to an embodiment, an array of cavities are formed into the organic substrate and an array of piezoelectrically actuated mirrors may be anchored to the organic substrate with each piezoelectrically actuated mirror extending over a cavity. In order to properly rout incoming optical signals, the optical routing device may also include a routing die mounted on the organic substrate. The routing die may be electrically coupled to each of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors and is able to generated a voltage across the first and second electrodes of each piezoelectrically actuated mirror. Additionally, a photodetector may be electrically coupled to the routing die. According to an embodiment, an array of fiber optic cables may be optically coupled with one of the piezoelectrically actuated mirrors and optically coupled with the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sasha N. Oster, Johanna M. Swan, Feras Eid, Thomas L. Sounart, Aleksandar Aleksov, Shawna M. Liff, Baris Bicen, Valluri R. Rao
  • Patent number: 10761315
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mirror structure for adaptive optics devices, characterized in that it comprises: an elastically deformable layer in response to an applied force, said deformable layer comprising a central portion reflective to said an incident light beam (F); a support substrate positioned spaced with respect to said deformable layer; a spacer element connected to said elastically deformable layer and support substrate and positioned there between, said spacer element being arranged so that the separation distance between said first and second inner surface is in the range between 2 and 100 micron; an inner chamber at least partially defined by said first and substrate and by said spacer element, said inner chamber containing a pressurized gas (G); an actuator system capable of causing a deformation of said central portion counteracting the pressure of said pressurized gas; wherein, in use, said central portion is deformed according to profiles such as to control
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Erwin John van Zwet, Teunis Cornelis van den Dool, Evert Nieuwkoop
  • Patent number: 10761317
    Abstract: A displacement device for pivoting a mirror element with two degrees of freedom of pivoting includes an electrode structure including actuator electrodes. The actuator electrodes are comb electrodes. All actuator electrodes are arranged in a single plane. The actuator electrodes form a direct drive for pivoting the mirror element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Hauf, Yanko Sarov
  • Patent number: 10739554
    Abstract: An electro-optical apparatus has an element substrate that is provided with a mirror and a sealing member which seals the mirror, and the sealing member includes a light-transmitting cover which faces the mirror opposite from the element substrate. An infrared cut filter is laminated on the light-transmitting cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Manabu Kondo
  • Patent number: 10649072
    Abstract: A LiDAR device that transmits a single or multiple continuous or intermittent laser beams to the environment and detects the reflected light on one or more detectors. The LiDAR device may include a scanning mirrors array composed of a single or multiple moving mirrors capable of changing the direction of the transmitted light. The scanning mirrors array may also include sensors and actuators which can be used to precisely control or measure the position of the mirrors. The LiDAR device may also include a lens that focuses the light captured by the mirror(s) onto a single or a multitude of detectors. The device may include laser sources and detectors operating in various wavelengths. The LiDAR device may also include laser power modulation mechanisms at a single or multitude of frequencies to improve signal detection performance and remove any ambiguity in range calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Iman Soltani Bozchalooi, Kamal Youcef-Toumi
  • Patent number: 10634911
    Abstract: A mirror unit includes a concave mirror having a mirror surface reflecting light, and a holder holding the concave mirror. The concave mirror includes first to third positioning protruding portions. The holder includes: a first holder-side positioning portion defining, through contact with the first positioning protruding portion, the position of the concave mirror with respect to the holder at least in the X direction of XY-plane coordinates along the mirror surface; a second holder-side positioning portion defining, through contact with the second positioning protruding portion, the position of the concave mirror with respect to the holder at least in the Y direction of the XY-plane coordinates; and a third holder-side positioning portion defining, through contact with the third positioning protruding portion, the position of the concave mirror with respect to the holder at least in the Z direction orthogonal to the XY lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Genichiro Sato, Hiroyuki Furusawa
  • Patent number: 10623867
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) ambient pressure and acoustic sensor including an enclosure having an enclosure wall that defines an interior chamber and an acoustic input opening to the interior chamber, a moving structure positioned within the interior chamber and being acoustically coupled to the acoustic input opening. The moving structure having an acoustic sensing portion that is movable in response to an acoustic pressure input and an ambient pressure sensing portion that is movable in response to an ambient pressure input. The sensor further including a circuit electrically coupled to the moving structure and that is operable to determine an acoustic output and an ambient pressure output based on a movement of the moving structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Neal D. Evans, Janhavi S. Agashe, Gregory B. Arndt
  • Patent number: 10613373
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a display panel and a display device. The display panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate, arranged opposite to each other to form a cell; a light-reflective pattern, formed on a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate; and a light guiding medium, arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, and configured to guide incident light from the second substrate to the light-reflective pattern, so as to enable the incident light to be reflected by the light-reflective pattern to form reflecting light and guide the reflecting light to exit out of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pengcheng Zang, Ting Li, Yuanjie Xu
  • Patent number: 10566502
    Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a light-emitting stack including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the light-emitting stack and configured to convert at least some of light having a first wavelength, emitted from the active layer, into light having a second wavelength, and a light control layer disposed between the light-emitting stack and the wavelength conversion layer, and including a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer, the first insulating layer having a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the light-emitting stack, and the second insulating layer having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the first insulating layer by 0.5 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyung Wook Hwang, Si Han Kim, Wan Tae Lim, Eun Joo Shin
  • Patent number: 10564414
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ULTIMEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Yee-Chung Fu, Han-Tang Su
  • Patent number: 10473917
    Abstract: A mirror with a reflective layer formed thereon is supported within a frame-shaped support by two U-shaped arms. A plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q1, Q2), and a plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q3, Q4). A pair of piezoelectric elements (E11, E12) disposed along a longitudinal axis (L1) on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E20) disposed along the longitudinal axis (L2) on the upper surface of an inside bridge. Similarly, a pair of piezoelectric elements (E31, E32) disposed on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E40) disposed on the upper surface of an inside bridge. When a positive drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E11, E20, E31, E40) and a negative drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E12, E32), the mirror is displaced efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Shinya Sakamoto, Yoshifumi Ikeda, Shogo Kurogi, Kenji Ogata
  • Patent number: 10473924
    Abstract: An optical scanning device that scans incident light by causing a mirror to oscillate is provided. The optical scanning device includes a displacement sensor for detecting a swing angle of the mirror and a temperature sensor used for temperature compensation of the displacement sensor. The displacement sensor is a piezoelectric sensor that has a structure in which a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode are layered in this order. The temperature sensor is a resistance type temperature measuring body that has a same layer structure as the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Yoshida, Koji Takenaka, Hisanori Aga
  • Patent number: 10466461
    Abstract: A dynamic focus and zoom system for use with wide-field, confocal and multiphoton microscopes having first, second and third MEMS mirrors situated within a housing. First and second fixed lenses form an optical relay. A prism/mirror is situated proximate to a first portal in the housing and is aligned linearly with the optical relay and a first MEMS mirror. The second MEMS mirror is proximate to and at a ninety-degree angle relative to the first MEMS mirror, which is at a forty-five-degree angle to the second fixed lens. The second MEMS mirror, third fixed lens and third MEMS mirror are aligned linearly, with the third fixed lens situated between the second and third MEMS mirrors. The third MEMS mirror is proximate to a second portal in the housing. The third MEMS mirror is situated adjacent to the prism/mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Inventor: Sarah Lukes
  • Patent number: 10466472
    Abstract: An optical arrangement includes an optics holder and a reflective optic fixed to the optics holder, in which the optics holder includes at least two holding members for fixing the reflective optic to the optics holder, and in which at least one of the holding members is resiliently deflectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: TRUMPF LASER GMBH
    Inventor: Jochen Doerner
  • Patent number: 10459217
    Abstract: A reflector has a reflective surface on first and second directions. Each of torsion beams extends to each opposite side of the reflective surface in the first direction. Each of coupling portions is to each opposite side of the reflector in the first direction and includes a central portion with U-shape having two projection portions and a bottom portion joined to the torsion beam. The projection portions include first concave portions opposing across the torsion beam by being penetrated in thickness direction. Each first concave portion extends in the second direction from an opening to a side surface facing the torsion beam towards an opposite side surface up to a bottom. A distance between the bottoms of the first concave portions across the torsion beam is greater than a distance between the side surfaces each facing the torsion beam of the projection portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Oyama, Hideaki Nishikawa, Yusuke Kawai, Kenichi Sakai
  • Patent number: 10416429
    Abstract: A dynamic focus and zoom system with three MEMS mirrors, three prisms, three beam splitters, three fixed lenses and an optical relay, all within a housing. The second prism, first and second fixed lenses, and first beam splitter are aligned linearly along a longitudinal axis of the optical relay. The first and second MEMS mirrors are linearly aligned with one another at a ninety-degree angle to such longitudinal axis. The third MEMS mirror, third fixed lens, third wave plate, third beam splitter and third prism are linearly aligned with one another at a ninety-degree angle to the same longitudinal axis. The third prism abuts up against the center of the optical relay between the first and second fixed lenses and is linearly aligned with the first prism such that the linear alignment of the first and third prisms is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the optical relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Agile Focus Designs, LLC
    Inventor: Sarah Lukes
  • Patent number: 10394017
    Abstract: An actuator device includes a support portion; a first movable portion; a first torsion bar portion coupling the first movable portion to the support portion to be swingable around a first swing axis; and a wiring disposed on the first torsion bar portion. The torsion bar portion is of a meandering shape including a plurality of straight sections extending in a first direction along the first swing axis and juxtaposed in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a plurality of turnover sections alternately coupling two ends of the straight sections. The plurality of turnover sections have a curved shape. The wiring includes wiring sections embedded in grooves formed in the turnover sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Sadaharu Takimoto, Masakuni Kimoto, Norihide Adachi
  • Patent number: 10386630
    Abstract: A MEMS micro-mirror device comprising, a MEMS micro-mirror, a support structure and, a first and second torsional arm which each connect the MEMS micro-mirror to the support structure, wherein the first and second torsional arms are arranged to define a first oscillation axis about which the MEMS micro-mirror can oscillate; a single actuation coil for oscillating the MEMS micro mirror about the first oscillation axis, at least a portion of the single actuation coil being arranged to cooperate with the MEMS micro mirror; a magnet which is arranged such that a magnetic field generated by the magnet submerges at least the portion of the single actuation coil which cooperates with the MEMS micro mirror; wherein the single actuation coil is configured to extend along the first and second torsional arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: North Inc.
    Inventors: Julien Gamet, Faouzi Khechana