Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Samsung Electro-mechanics Co., Ltd.

Ci-moo Song

Young-Ho Cho

Byung-leul Lee

Ki Bang Lee

Ki-bang Lee

Kyu-yeon Park

Chong-won Lee

Chul-woo Lee

Yong-soo Oh

Han-ki Cho

Sung-Kie Youn

Myung-seok Kang

A microactuator is provided. The microactuator includes a substrate, a support fixed to an upper surface of the substrate, an elastic member connected to the support, an inertial member connected to the elastic member and spaced apart from the upper surface of the substrate by a predetermined distance, to be vibrated in a first direction parallel to the substrate, moving electrodes protruding from both sides of the inertial member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, fixed electrodes fixed on the substrate, facing the moving electrodes, spaced apart from the moving electrodes by a predetermined distance, and supplying an electrostatic repulsive force in the first direction to the moving electrodes when an electric potential is applied, common electrodes fixed on the substrate in the first direction, spaced apart from the moving electrodes and the fixed electrodes by a predetermined distance, and a power supply applying an electric potential to the moving electrodes, the fixed electrodes and the common electrodes.

Microactuator and method for controlling resonant frequency thereof

An electrostatic driving apparatus for a microactuator is provided, in which a parasitic capacitance is offset to improve the performance thereof. According to the complementary electrostatic driving apparatus for the microactuator, in order to prevent an excitation signal from being mixed with a sensing signal via the parasitic path formed of parasitic capacitance according to the structure of the microactuator and vibration characteristics thereof, which cause noise, signals having opposite polarities are applied to activating vibration plates using an inverter such that the activating vibration signals of each plate, which cause noise, are offset, thereby markedly improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Also, the vibration displacement can be easily detected by a circuit which is not integrated with an actuator. In addition, a sensing unit is simplified, reducing the initial costs. Further, when the excitation signals are applied at the both sides of the vibration direction of the suspended vibration plate, only the AC component, i.e., the .omega. component, of the electrostatic force acts, so that the resonant characteristics can be improved without an offset of the displacement.

Complementary electrostatic driving apparatus for microactuator with

There is provided a method of adjusting the natural frequency of a dual-axis vibratory structure having: a first spring member having a lengthwise direction coinciding to a first axis direction receiving an electrostatic force; a second spring member having a lengthwise direction coinciding to a second direction perpendicular to the first axis direction and having a width narrower than that of the first spring member; and a mass portion, the method comprising the steps of: measuring the natural frequencies relative to the first axis direction of the vibratory structure and a third axis direction perpendicular to a plane formed by the first and second axes; varying the thickness of the first spring member so as to adjust the natural frequency of the third axis direction while fixing the natural frequency of the first axis direction; and repeating the measuring step and the thickness varying step until the natural frequency of the first and third axes directions are within the scope of a permissible error. The method can be adjusted to coincide the natural frequency of the vibratory structure with a design value, so that linearity and the sensitivity of a sensor are improved and operation bandwidth increases.

Method of adjusting natural frequency of dual-axis vibratory structure

A tuning fork type gyroscope including plate members spaced apart from each other, vibration elements for vibrating the plate members, suspension members for suspending the plate members, and electrodes arranged in the lower portion of the plate members, wherein the suspension members comprises: main bars connected to the plate members by connection members; fixing members connected to both ends of each of said main bars so as to support the main bars and reduce (a) restoring tensile forces(s) along the length of the main bars; and a supporting member connected to (a) central portion(s) of the main bars so as to support the main bars. The gyroscope reduces the restoring tensile force of the main bars and provides flexibility to the main bars.

Tuning fork type gyroscope

A vibratory structure and a method for controlling the natural frequency thereof are provided. The vibratory structure has an elastic member one end portion of which is fixed to a first support end, an inertial object for vibrating by the elastic force of the elastic member, a moving electrode attached integrally to the inertial object, an effective stiffness controlling electrode fixed to a second support end, and a power supplier for generating electric force between the moving electrode and the effective stiffness controlling electrode. The moving electrode and the effective stiffness controlling electrode are formed into a predetermined shape, so that the electric force varies linearly according to the displacement of the inertial object. Thus, the natural frequency of the vibratory structure is controlled by changing the voltage applied across the moving electrode and the effective stiffness controlling electrode.

Vibratory structure, method for controlling natural frequency thereof

A vibratory structure and a method for controlling the natural frequency thereof are provided. The device has at least one elastic member supported by a first support end, an inertial object which vibrates by the elastic force of the elastic member, a moving electrode coupled to the inertial object, at least one effective stiffness controlling electrode supported by a second support end, and a power supplier for applying a voltage to generate an electric force between the moving electrode and the effective stiffness controlling electrode. This vibratory structure can contribute to controlling and improving the performance of a sensor, an actuator or a gyroscope, which employs the vibratory structure.

Vibratory structure, method for controlling natural frequency thereof,

A tuning fork type gyroscope includes a vibratory structure arranged to be spaced from a plane formed by a first axis and a second axis perpendicular thereto in a third axial direction perpendicular to the plane, driving means for vibrating the vibratory structure in the second axial direction by an electrostatic force, sensor electrode means arranged on said plane so as to sense displacement of the vibratory structure in the third axial direction while the vibratory structure moves with an angular velocity in the first axis, upper torque electrode means for balancing the force, arranged over the vibratory structure so as to control displacement of the vibratory structure in the third axial direction, and lower torque electrode means for balancing the force, arranged under the vibratory structure so as to control displacement of the vibratory structure in the third axial direction. Therefore, the distortion of the vibratory structure can be efficiently prevented, and an angular velocity can be accurately measured.

A microgyroscope includes a substrate, a first sensor where a plurality of stripe-shaped anodes and cathodes are alternatively arrayed in parallel on the substrate, a driver arranged to be perpendicular to a stripe length direction of the first sensor on the substrate and where a plurality of stripe-shaped anodes and cathodes are alternatively arrayed in parallel, a vibratory structure having a plurality of first grooves of a stripe shape vertically spaced from a plane of the first sensor and the driver at a predetermined height and formed in a direction congruous with a stripe length direction of first sensor and a plurality of second grooves of a stripe shape formed in a direction congruous with a stripe length direction of the driver, a support portion formed on the substrate for maintaining the vibratory structure from the substrate at a predetermined height, and elastic members for elastically connecting the vibratory structure and the support portion.

Microgyroscope with vibratory structure having a multitude of grooves

In a mirror driving method of a micro-mirror array and an apparatus thereof, each of a plurality of mirrors is pivotally supported by hinges fixed to a substrate, and a permanent magnet is attached beneath the substrate to form a magnetic field about the mirrors. A coiled conductive layer is formed on the rear surface of each mirror to be selectively applied with current according to a video signal, and the selected mirror pivots in correspondence with the electrostatic force operative between the conductive layer to which the current is applied and the magnetic field. Thus, a light beam irradiating the micro-mirror array can be modulated according to an image, and mass production is made possible due to a simple structure which provides for a stable driving action.

Mirror driving method and apparatus of micro-mirror array

A microgyroscope includes a substrate, a vibratory structure having two stripe portions, a plurality of connection portions, and a comb, an elastic member for elastically maintaining the vibratory structure, a driver for applying the vibratory structure, a sensor for sensing the one directional action of the vibratory structure, and a plurality of sensing electrodes for sensing displacement by Coriolis force.

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Sungnam, South Korea

Ci-moo Song