Texas Instruments Corporation

Other

Philip A Congdon

Tsen-Hwang Lin

Lily Y Pang

Mark W Heaton

Michael K Masten

John Walter Orcutt

James M Florence

Herzel Laor

Gary Alan Evans

Gregory A Magel

Andrew Steven Dewa

Robert M Boysel

David I Forehand

Jerome K Butler

Gary A Evans

James A Sisco

Mark A Avery

A disk rotates and information is stored on the disk. An arm accesses the information and a fly height controller controls the height of the arm with respect to the disk as the disk rotates.

Aerodynamic fly-height and turbulence control for hard disk drive heads using microactuators

An integral computer hard drive microactuator support comprising a unitary member of solid material. The support includes a frame portion surrounding and defining an opening portion, and a platform portion disposed within the opening portion. Four fixed-fixed beam portions connect the platform portion to the frame portion, the fixed-fixed beam portions being generally rectangular in cross section and substantially straight along their length.

Silicon structural support of linear microactuator

An optical matrix switch station (,) is shown mounting a plurality of optical switch units (,), each of which includes a mirror (,), moveable in two axes, for purpose of switching optical beams from one optical fiber to another. A mirror assembly (,) includes a single body of silicon comprising a frame portion (,), gimbals (,), mirror portion (,), and related hinges (,). Magnets (,) and air coils (,) are utilized to position the central mirror surface (,) to a selected orientation. The moveable mirror and associated magnets along with control LED's (,) are hermetically packaged in a header (,) and mounted with the air coils on mounting bracket (,) to form a micromirror assembly package (,) mounted in each optical switch unit.

Optical switching apparatus

A grating (,) assisted coupling of a semiconductor waveguide to a dielectric waveguide (,) is provided with one or more reflective stacks (,) to enhance the coupling efficiency. The glass or dielectric core (,) may be efficiently butt-coupled to the core of an optical fiber (,). A laser and semiconductor waveguide, reflective stacks coupling grating, and dielectric waveguide are integrated on a single substrate. Further, multiple lasers (,) with differing lasing frequencies may be integrated and their outputs grating coupled into a single dielectric waveguide (,) for wavelength division multiplexing.

Substrate stack construction for enhanced coupling efficiency of optical couplers

An improved micro-actuator position sensor which provides an accurate position signal for higher bandwidth control of a micro-actuator. The position sensor allows closed loop control of the micro-actuator position. Preferred embodiment micro-actuator sensors include a piezo-resistive stress sensor integrated within the springs, a capacitance sensor and magnetic reluctance sensor. Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail as integrated sensors for a micro-actuator used in hard disk drives. The sensor is integrated with a micro-actuator at the tip of the conventional actuator arm to improve the precision seeking capability of the actuator arm.

Integrated position sensor for a disk drive microacuator

A grating (461) coupling the output of a semiconductor laser (410) in a semiconductor waveguide to a dielectric waveguide (451) having a core (458) which may be efficiently butt-coupled to the core of an optical fiber (470); the laser and semiconductor waveguide, coupling grating, and dielectric waveguide are integrated on a single substrate. Further, multiple lasers (410, 420, 430, 440) with differing lasing frequencies may be integrated and their outputs grating coupled into a single dielectric waveguide (450) for wavelength division multiplexing.

Integrated laser and coupled waveguide

A spatial light modulator (40,70,80,90,130) operable in the analog mode for light beam steering or scanning applications. A deflectable mirror (42, 72) and which may be hexagonal (92, 132) is supported by a torsion hinge (44,86,94) ends along a torsion axis. A plurality of flexure hinges (48,82,106) are provided to support the ends of the mirror (42,72,92,132) and provide a restoration force. The combination of the torsion hinges and the flexure hinges realizes a deflectable pixel that is operable in the linear range for a large range of address voltages. The flexure hinges also maintain a flat undeflected state when no address voltage is applied, and prevent the pixel from collapsing. The pixel may be reinforced, such as about its perimeter (74) to ensure mirror flatness and prevent warping, even during extreme deflections of the mirror. The pixel is electrostatically deflected by applying an address voltage to an underlying address electrode (60,96,98). The hexagonal mirrors (92,132) allow a tightly packed mirror array, and have a closely circular surface area so as to efficiently reflect a light beam of circular cross section, such as a light beam from fiber optics.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Philip A Congdon