Panasonic Corporation

Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Hiroshi Noge

Kiyohiko Kawano

Hideki Ueda

Yuji Suzuki

Hiroshi Fukshima

Jun Ogihara

Hiroshi Harada

Naomasa Oka

Takaaki Yoshihara

Masahiko Suzumura

Hiroaki Tachibana

Yousuke Hagihara

In a moving structure, stability of swing motion of a moving plate is increased by enhancing tensional rigidity or flexural rigidity while restraining torsion rigidity of the hinge units. The hinge units of ladder shape with honeycombed portions are formed by twin supporting rods and crosspieces bridged between the twin supporting rods so as to support the moving plate rotatably. The tensional rigidity or the flexural rigidity is increased while restraining the torsion rigidity of the hinge units by the honeycombed portions of the hinge units.

Moving structure and micro-mirror device using the same

An image display apparatus includes an LD for emitting and modulating visible light, an optical scanning device for two-dimensionally scanning the light from the Ld on a screen in synchronism with the LD, an imaging device for picturizing an image of the image displayed on the screen, and an image processor for judging presence or absence of the pointing element such as a finger or fingers which is/are used to point out an optional position on the image based on temporal change of the image picturized by the imaging device. Even when the finger or fingers of a person is/are used as the pointing element, it is possible to judge the presence or absence of the pointing out of the image by the finger or fingers. Thereby, a number of components can be reduced. In addition, in comparison with an image display apparatus that emits invisible light detects a position of a pointing element corresponding to a photoreception timing of the invisible light reflected by the pointing element, a complex detection circuit having a high time-resolution becomes unnecessary, and it enables to simplify the configuration and to reduce manufacturing cost.

Image display apparatus that detects pointing element using imaging device

Provided is an oscillating device, which can adjust the oscillation angle and the phase of a movable plate easily with a simple constitution. A light scanning device acting as the oscillating device comprises a mirror element for oscillating the movable plate having a mirror film, a control circuit having a duty ratio adjusting unit and a function to change the duty ratio of the pulse voltage, so that it applies the pulse voltage thereby to drive a vertical comb of the mirror element, and an oscillation detecting unit for detecting the oscillations of the movable plate. On the bases of the movable plate oscillations detected by the oscillation detecting unit, the control circuit controls the duty ratio adjusting unit thereby to change the duty ratio of the pulse voltage. When the pulse voltage having the changed duty ratio is applied to the mirror element, the period of applying the voltage to the vertical comb at the oscillating time of the movable plate changes so that the phase and the oscillation angle of the oscillations of the movable plate change. By the feed-back control of the duty ratio according to the oscillations of the movable plate, the movable plate can be controlled to oscillate in the proper phase and at the proper oscillation angle.

Oscillating device, optical scanning device using the same, image display apparatus, and control method of the oscillating device

A semiconductor structure provided with an insulation structure in a moving unit is manufactured easily. An optical scanning mirror (semiconductor structure) is formed by processing an SOI substrate consists of a first silicon layer, an oxide film and a second silicon layer. A moving unit, which is supported on a fixed frame through first hinges, is formed on the first silicon layer. The moving unit is divided into a plurality of regions by forming trenches (insulation structure). A supporting member formed of the oxide film and the second silicon layer is formed just below the trenches. The plurality of regions of the moving frame divided by the trenches are joined to the supporting member, so that the moving unit is swingable with the supporting member. Thereby, the supporting member is formed by simple etching processes, and thus, mechanical strength of the moving unit is ensured.

Optical scanning mirror, semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof

An electrostatically driven latchable actuator system has an actuator and a pair of side effectors on opposite ends of the actuator. The actuator is resiliently supported to a substrate and is movable along a linear axis between two operative positions as being electrically attracted to one of the side effectors. A latch mechanism is provided to mechanically latch the actuator at either of the operative positions. The side effectors are movably towards and away from the actuator along the linear axis between a normal position and a shifted position close to the actuator. Both of the side effectors are also resiliently supported to the substrate to be movable towards the actuator by being electrostatically attracted thereto and away from the actuator by resiliency. The moving side effector is interlocked to the latch mechanism through a mechanical link so as to unlatch the actuator in response to one of the side effectors being attracted to the actuator, and allow the actuator to move from one operative position to the other operative position to be again latched thereat.

Electrostatically driven latchable actuator system

A process for fabricating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) composed of fixed components fixedly supported on a lower substrate and movable components movably supported on the lower substrate. The process utilizes an upper substrate separate from the lower substrate. The upper substrate is selectively etched in its top layer to form therein a plurality of posts which project commonly from a bottom layer of the upper substrate. The posts include the fixed components to be fixed to the lower substrate and the movable components which are resiliently supported only to one or more of the fixed components to be movable relative to the fixed components. The lower substrate is formed in its top surface with at least one recess. The upper substrate is then bonded to the top of the lower substrate upside down in such a manner as to place the fixed components directly on the lower substrate and to place the movable components upwardly of the recess. Finally, the bottom layer of the upper substrate is removed to release the movable components from the bottom layer for floating the movable components above the recess and allowing them to move relative to the lower substrate, while keeping the fixed components fixed to the top of the lower substrate.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hiroshi Noge