Mirror architecture

Abstract

The application discloses a mirror frame and relates to the technical field of micro electro mechanical systems, which comprises a mirror surface, a plurality of actuating connecting parts distributed along the circumference of the mirror surface, and a plurality of actuators corresponding to the actuating connecting parts one by one and arranged around the mirror surface. Each actuator comprises a support arm, which comprises a driving part and a connecting extension part. The connecting extension part is at least partially configured to extend from the driving part along the circumference of the mirror surface and is connected to the corresponding actuating connecting part at the end away from the driving part. The driving part is adapted to rotate under the driving of external force and drive the connecting extension part to push the actuating connecting part to lift. The mirror frame of the application can drive the actuating connecting part to lift through the connecting extension part, which is conducive to the compact folding arrangement of the actuator, improves the layout degree of freedom of the actuator, and can realize the arrangement of more actuators to improve the driving force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, and more particularly to a mirror architecture. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, the actuator and actuation connection part of the traditional reflector architecture are located on the same side of the reflector, which makes it impossible for the actuator to be compactly folded and arranged in a limited space, resulting in low degree of freedom and room for improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a mirror architecture that facilitates the compact folding arrangement of actuators, increases the layout freedom of actuators, and allows for the installation of more actuators to increase driving force.

[0004] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a reflector structure includes: a mirror surface having a plurality of circumferentially distributed actuating connections; a plurality of actuators, the plurality of actuators being disposed around the mirror surface and corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of actuating connections, each actuator including a support arm, the support arm including a driving portion and a connecting extension portion, the driving portion being connected to the connecting extension portion, at least a portion of the connecting extension portion being configured to extend from the driving portion along the circumferential direction of the mirror surface and to connect to the corresponding actuating connection portion at an end away from the driving portion, the driving portion being adapted to rotate under external force and drive the connecting extension portion to push the actuating connection portion up and down.

[0005] According to the reflector architecture of the present invention, the driving part can drive the actuation connecting part to rise and fall by connecting the extension part, which can facilitate the compact folding arrangement of the actuator, improve the layout freedom of the actuator, and enable the setting of more actuators to increase the driving force.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the reflector architecture of the present invention, the connecting extensions of the plurality of support arms all extend in a counterclockwise direction relative to the drive portion along the circumference of the mirror surface; Alternatively, the connecting extensions of the plurality of support arms all extend in a clockwise direction relative to the drive portion along the circumference of the mirror surface.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the reflector architecture of the present invention, the circumferential angle corresponding to the length of the connecting extension extending circumferentially along the mirror surface is 90° or 180°. And / or, the actuators are three or four, and the three or four actuators are evenly spaced apart along the circumference of the mirror surface.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the reflector architecture of the present invention, the connecting extension includes a first connecting segment and a second connecting segment, the first connecting segment being connected between the driving part and the second connecting segment, and the end of the second connecting segment away from the first connecting segment being connected to the actuating connecting part; Wherein, the width of the first connecting segment is set to gradually decrease along the circumference of the mirror surface in a direction away from the driving part, and / or the width of the second connecting segment is set to gradually decrease along the circumference of the mirror surface in a direction away from the first connecting segment.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the reflector architecture of the present invention, at least one of the first connecting segment and the second connecting segment is provided with a weight reduction hole.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the mirror architecture of the present invention, a connecting extension of one of the support arms extends between the drive portion of an adjacent support arm and the mirror surface; Alternatively, a connecting extension of one of the support arms extends between the drive portion of the spaced-apart support arm and the mirror surface.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, in the reflector architecture, the connecting extension and the actuating connection are connected by a first elastic torsion portion, and the connecting extension and the actuating connection are torsion relative to each other; And / or, the drive unit is rotatably mounted to the fixed frame via a second elastic torsion part, such that the drive unit and the fixed frame can be twisted relative to each other.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first elastic torsion portion and / or the second elastic torsion portion are constructed as engineered elastic structures such that the stiffness of the first elastic torsion portion and / or the second elastic torsion portion in the target rotation direction is less than the stiffness in the non-target rotation direction.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the elastic structure may be a flexible thin film, a partially thinned silicon beam, or a combination of both.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the mirror architecture of the present invention, the actuator further includes a drive structure, the drive structure including a rotor and a stator, the rotor being connected to the drive unit, and the stator being used to drive the rotor to rotate the drive unit.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the rotor component includes a plurality of connecting beams spaced apart along a first direction, with a movable gap formed between two adjacent connecting beams, and the plurality of movable gaps spaced apart along the first direction are formed. The stator component includes a stator base and a plurality of stator comb teeth. The plurality of stator comb teeth are spaced apart along the first direction and are respectively connected to the stator base. The plurality of stator comb teeth extend into the plurality of movable gaps in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the reflector architecture of the stator comb teeth is configured as mutually separated columnar, cylindrical or piling electrode units; Furthermore, the tops of each of the stator comb teeth are spaced apart and the bottoms are connected through the stator base, and the plurality of stator comb teeth are electrically connected through the stator base.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the reflector architecture of the present invention, the rotor component further includes two side frames, and the plurality of connecting beams include two top connecting beams located at both ends and a partial connecting beam located between the two top connecting beams, wherein both ends of the top connecting beams and both ends of the partial connecting beams are configured to be connected to the two side frames respectively.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the reflector architecture of the present invention, the thickness of the connecting beam in the first direction is configured to decrease from both ends to the middle, and the width of the movable gap in the first direction is configured to increase from both ends to the middle, and the width of the stator comb teeth in the first direction is set to increase from both ends to the middle to cooperate with the inner wall of the movable gap.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the mirror architecture of the present invention, the width of the active gap located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the active gap located in the middle in the first direction; Among the plurality of stator comb teeth, the width of the stator comb teeth located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the stator comb teeth located in the middle of the first direction.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the reflector architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the reflector architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the reflector architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first elastic torsion section according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is the process flow of the flexible film according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 6 This is the process flow of the flexible film according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rotor component according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the stator component according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the reflector architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 .

[0022] Figure label: Mirror architecture 100, Mirror 1, Actuation Connector 11, Actuator 2, support arm 21, drive unit 211, connecting extension 212, first connecting section 2121, second connecting section 2122, weight reduction hole 213, first elastic torsion section 22, second elastic torsion section 23, drive structure 24, rotor component 241, with connecting beam 2411, top connecting beam 2411a, partial connecting beam 2411b, movable clearance 2412, side frame 2413, stator component 242, stator base 2421, stator comb teeth 2422. 3. Upper wafer, 4. Lower wafer, 5. Silicon, 6. Silicon dioxide, 7. Photoresist, 8. Hard mask. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] The following is for reference. Figures 1-9 The mirror architecture 100 described according to an embodiment of the present invention facilitates the compact folding arrangement of the actuators 2, improves the layout freedom of the actuators 2, and enables the arrangement of more actuators 2 to increase the driving force.

[0026] like Figure 9 As shown, the reflector architecture 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a mirror 1 and an actuator 2.

[0027] The mirror 1 has multiple actuating connecting parts 11 distributed circumferentially. That is, the actuating connecting parts 11 can be two, three, or more, and the multiple actuating connecting parts 11 are distributed circumferentially along the mirror 1, so that the movement of the mirror 1 can be controlled by the multiple actuating connecting parts 11.

[0028] Multiple actuators 2 are provided, meaning the number of actuators 2 can be two, three, or more. These multiple actuators 2 are arranged around the mirror surface 1 and correspond one-to-one with multiple actuation connection parts 11. In other words, the actuators 2 and mirror surface 1 are connected through the connection of the actuators 2 and the actuation connection parts 11, thereby enabling the actuators 2 to drive the mirror surface 1 to move. Since both actuators 2 and actuation connection parts 11 are provided in multiples, the multiple actuators 2 can control the movement of the mirror surface 1 through the actuation connection parts 11. Furthermore, the multiple actuators 2 can be connected to different positions on the mirror surface 1 through the actuation connection parts 11, thus allowing the multiple actuators 2 to control the movement of the mirror surface 1 at different positions, and flexibly control the deflection angle of the mirror surface 1.

[0029] In addition, each actuator 2 includes a support arm 21, which includes a drive portion 211 and a connecting extension portion 212. The drive portion 211 is connected to the connecting extension portion 212. At least part of the connecting extension portion 212 is configured to extend from the drive portion 211 along the circumference of the mirror surface 1 and to be connected to the corresponding actuation connection portion 11 at an end away from the drive portion 211. The drive portion 211 is adapted to rotate under external force and drive the connecting extension portion 212 to push the actuation connection portion 11 up and down.

[0030] Specifically, the actuator 2 is connected to the mirror 1 via the support arm 21, and then controls the movement of the mirror 1 via the support arm 21. The connecting extension 212 of the support arm 21 is connected to the actuation connection 11 on the mirror 1. The drive unit 211 can drive the connecting extension 212 to move, thereby causing the corresponding actuation connection 11 to rise or fall. Thus, the deflection of the mirror 1 can be flexibly controlled by multiple drive units 211 and connecting extensions 212.

[0031] When one side of the mirror 1 needs to be raised, the corresponding drive unit 211 can be controlled to rotate and raise that side of the mirror 1. The drive unit 211 then drives the connecting extension 212 to move, and the connecting extension 212 can lift that side of the mirror 1 by actuating the connecting part 11. When one side of the mirror 1 needs to be lowered, the corresponding drive unit 211 can be controlled to rotate and lower that side of the mirror 1. The drive unit 211 then drives the connecting extension 212 to move, and the connecting extension 212 can drive that side of the mirror 1 to lower by actuating the connecting part 11. Thus, by using multiple actuators 2, the mirror 1 can be raised or lowered at multiple positions, thereby flexibly controlling the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0032] Furthermore, the connecting extension 212 is configured to extend circumferentially along the mirror surface 1 and connect with the actuation connection 11 located away from the drive unit 211. This allows for flexible arrangement of the actuators 2, enabling flexible adjustment of their placement to increase layout freedom. It also allows for a compact folding arrangement of the actuators 2, reducing their space occupation. This allows for the arrangement of more actuators 2 within the same space, increasing the driving force and facilitating control of the mirror surface 1's deflection. This results in a compact, high-driving-force mirror architecture 100. In other words, the drive unit 211 and the actuation connection 11 can be located on different sides of the mirror surface 1, allowing the actuators 2 to be folded into a more compact position, thus reserving sufficient space for a larger driving area.

[0033] Therefore, by providing a connecting extension 212 on the support arm 21, the support arm 21 can have a longer extension length, so that when the actuator 2 is located at a certain radial position of the mirror 1, it can drive the mirror 1 at other radial positions of the mirror 1 through the connecting extension 212. This not only helps to achieve a compact structure, but also reduces the difficulty of installation and reduces the restrictions on the installation position of the actuator 2.

[0034] According to the embodiment of the present invention, the reflector structure 100 provides a connecting extension 212 on the support arm 21 so that the drive unit 211 drives the actuator connecting unit 11 to rise and fall through the connecting extension 212. This facilitates the compact folding arrangement of the actuator 2, improves the layout freedom of the actuator 2, and allows for the installation of more actuators 2 to increase the driving force.

[0035] In some embodiments, the connecting extensions 212 of the plurality of support arms 21 all extend counterclockwise relative to the drive portion 211 along the circumference of the mirror surface 1; or, the connecting extensions 212 of the plurality of support arms 21 all extend clockwise relative to the drive portion 211 along the circumference of the mirror surface 1. That is, the extension direction of the connecting extensions 212 relative to the drive portion 211 can be flexibly set.

[0036] Specifically, such as Figures 1-3 and Figure 9As shown, the drive unit 211 is disposed close to the mirror surface 1 and is disposed on the same horizontal plane as the mirror surface 1. The two ends of the connecting extension 212 are respectively connected to the drive unit 211 and the actuation connection 11, and the connecting extension 212 extends counterclockwise along the mirror surface 1. If the drive unit 211 is disposed below the mirror 1, then the connecting extension 212 connected to the drive unit 211 extends counterclockwise along the mirror 1, and the end of the connecting extension 212 away from the drive unit 211 is connected to the actuation connection 11 at the right end of the mirror 1. The end of the connecting extension 212 connected to the drive unit 211 on the right side of the mirror 1 that extends counterclockwise along the mirror 1 and away from the right side of the drive unit 211 is connected to the actuation connection 11 at the upper end of the mirror 1. The end of the connecting extension 212 connected to the drive unit 211 at the upper end of the mirror 1 that extends counterclockwise along the mirror 1 and away from the upper drive unit 211 is connected to the actuation connection 11 at the left end of the mirror 1. The end of the connecting extension 212 connected to the drive unit 211 at the left side of the mirror 1 that extends counterclockwise along the mirror 1 and away from the left side of the drive unit 211 is connected to the actuation connection 11 at the lower end of the mirror 1.

[0037] Thus, each connecting extension 212 connected to the drive unit 211 extends counterclockwise along the mirror surface 1, thereby allowing the setting position of the drive unit 211 to be flexibly adjusted, increasing the degree of freedom in layout, and enabling a compact folding arrangement of the actuator 2, which reduces the space occupied by the actuator 2, thereby allowing more actuators 2 to be arranged in the same space, thereby increasing the magnitude of the driving force, which is beneficial for controlling the deflection of the mirror surface 1, thereby constructing a compact, high-driving-force reflector architecture 100.

[0038] In some embodiments, the circumferential angle corresponding to the length of the connecting extension 212 extending circumferentially along the mirror 1 is 90° or 180°. That is, the connecting extension 212 can extend to a position where the mirror 1 and the driving part 211 form a 90° circumferential angle, or the connecting extension 212 can extend to a position where the mirror 1 and the driving part 211 form a 180° circumferential angle.

[0039] Specifically, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the connecting extension 212 can extend circumferentially along the mirror surface 1, and the circumferential angle corresponding to the extension length is 90°. At this time, the driving unit 211 rotates and can drive the mirror surface 1 to be raised or lowered at a position where the mirror surface 1 and the driving unit 211 form a 90° circumferential angle through the connecting extension 212, thereby controlling the deflection of the mirror surface 1; or the connecting extension 212 can extend circumferentially along the mirror surface 1, and the circumferential angle corresponding to the extension length is 180°. At this time, the driving unit 211 rotates and can drive the mirror surface 1 to be raised or lowered at a position where the mirror surface 1 and the driving unit 211 form a 180° circumferential angle through the connecting extension 212, thereby controlling the deflection of the mirror surface 1.

[0040] And / or, in other embodiments, there are three or four actuators 2, which are evenly spaced apart along the circumference of the mirror surface 1.

[0041] Specifically, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the actuator 2 can be configured as four, with the four actuators 2 evenly spaced apart around the circumference of the mirror 1. The four actuators 2 can be connected to four different positions of the mirror 1, so that the actuators 2 can control the deflection of the mirror 1 by controlling the rise or fall of the four positions of the mirror 1.

[0042] Furthermore, the actuator 2 can be configured as three actuators, which can be evenly spaced around the circumference of the mirror 1. The three actuators 2 can be connected to three different positions of the mirror 1, so that the actuators 2 can control the rise or fall of the three positions of the mirror 1 to control the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0043] Therefore, the deflection of the mirror 1 can be controlled by setting different numbers of actuators 2, and the circumferential angle corresponding to the extension length of the connecting extension 212 of the actuator 2 on the mirror 1 can be 90° or 180°, which makes it easier to control the magnitude of the driving force by adjusting the number of actuators 2, and the actuators 2 can be flexibly distributed around the mirror 1, improving the layout freedom of the actuators 2.

[0044] The circumferential angle corresponding to the extension length of the connecting extension 212 in the circumferential direction of the mirror surface can be flexibly adjusted within the range of 0° to 270°.

[0045] In some embodiments, the connecting extension 212 includes a first connecting segment 2121 and a second connecting segment 2122. The first connecting segment 2121 is connected between the driving part 211 and the second connecting segment 2122, and the end of the second connecting segment 2122 away from the first connecting segment 2121 is connected to the actuating connecting part 11. Specifically, as Figure 9 As shown, one end of the first connecting segment 2121 is connected to the driving unit 211, and the other end of the first connecting segment 2121 is connected to the second connecting segment 2122. One end of the second connecting segment 2122 is connected to the first connecting segment 2121, and the other end is connected to the actuating connecting unit 11. At this time, the driving unit 211 can transmit power to the first connecting segment 2121 to drive the first connecting segment 2121 to move. The first connecting segment 2121 then transmits power to the second connecting segment 2122 so that the second connecting segment 2122 can generate corresponding movement. Thus, the actuating connecting unit 11 drives one end of the mirror 1 to rise or fall, thereby realizing the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0046] Specifically, the width of the first connecting segment 2121 is set to gradually decrease along the circumference of the mirror surface 1 in a direction away from the driving part 211, and / or the width of the second connecting segment 2122 is set to gradually decrease along the circumference of the mirror surface 1 in a direction away from the first connecting segment 2121. Specifically, as shown... Figure 9 As shown, the width of the first connecting segment 2121 gradually decreases along the circumference of the mirror 1 as it moves away from the driving part 211, and the width of the second connecting segment 2122 also gradually decreases along the circumference of the mirror 1 as it moves away from the driving part 211. This allows both the first connecting segment 2121 and the second connecting segment 2122 to create gaps with the mirror 1, enabling the first connecting segment 2121 and the second connecting segment 2122 to connect the driving part 211 and the actuation connecting part 11. This allows the driving part 211 to drive the mirror 1 to deflect through the first connecting segment 2121 and the second connecting segment 2122.

[0047] Thus, the power transmission from the drive unit 211 to the actuation connection unit 11 can be realized through the first connecting section 2121 and the second connecting section 2122 to drive the mirror 1 to deflect.

[0048] In some embodiments, at least one of the first connecting segment 2121 and the second connecting segment 2122 is provided with a weight-reducing hole 213. That is, a weight-reducing hole 213 can be provided on the first connecting segment 2121, on the second connecting segment 2122, or on both the first connecting segment 2121 and the second connecting segment 2122, thereby reducing the weight of the connecting extension 212 and facilitating lightweight structural design.

[0049] Specifically, such as Figure 9 As shown, both the first connecting section 2121 and the second connecting section 2122 are provided with weight reduction holes 213. For example, six weight reduction holes 213 can be provided on the first connecting section 2121 and eleven weight reduction holes 213 can be provided on the second connecting section 2122, thereby reducing the weight of the first connecting section 2121 and the second connecting section 2122. In addition, the first connecting section 2121 and the second connecting section 2122 on the multiple connecting extensions 212 can be provided with weight reduction holes 213, thereby significantly reducing the weight of the connecting extensions 212, and thus meeting the lightweight requirements of the structure.

[0050] In some embodiments, the connecting extension 212 of one support arm 21 extends between the drive portion 211 of an adjacent support arm 21 and the mirror surface 1. That is, the connecting extension 212 of the support arm 21 can be connected to the actuation connection portion 11 between the drive portion 211 of an adjacent support arm 21 and the mirror surface 1.

[0051] Specifically, such as Figure 1As shown, four support arms 21 can be configured. The connecting extensions 212 of the four support arms 21 extend to the space between the driving part 211 of the adjacent support arm 21 and the mirror 1, and are connected to the actuation connection part 11 on the mirror 1. When one of the support arms 21 moves, the end of the mirror 1 corresponding to the adjacent driving part 211 can be driven to move through the connecting extension 212. The multiple support arms 21 can cooperate with each other to achieve the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0052] Alternatively, the connecting extension 212 of one support arm 21 extends between the drive portion 211 of the spaced-apart support arm 21 and the mirror surface 1. That is, the connecting extension 212 of the support arm 21 can be connected to the actuation connection portion 11 between the drive portion 211 of the spaced-apart support arm 21 and the mirror surface 1.

[0053] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 9 As shown, four support arms 21 can be configured. The connecting extensions 212 of the four support arms 21 all extend to the space between the drive part 211 of the spaced support arms 21 and the mirror 1, and are connected to the actuation connection part 11 on the mirror 1. When one of the support arms 21 moves, the connecting extensions 212 can drive the movement of the end of the mirror 1 corresponding to the spaced drive part 211. The multiple support arms 21 can cooperate with each other to achieve the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0054] Thus, the connecting extension 212 of the support arm 21 can be extended to the space between the adjacent drive part 211 and the mirror 1, or the connecting extension 212 of the support arm 21 can be extended to the space between the spaced drive part 211 and the mirror 1, both of which can drive the mirror 1 to deflect and allow for flexible arrangement of the support arm 21.

[0055] In some embodiments, the connecting extension 212 and the actuating connection 11 are connected by a first elastic torsion part 22, and the connecting extension 212 and the actuating connection 11 are torsionally relative to each other. That is, the connecting extension 212 and the actuating connection 11 can be rotatably connected by the first elastic torsion part 22, so that the connecting extension 212 can drive the actuating connection 11 to rise or fall, thereby controlling the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0056] And / or, the drive unit 211 is rotatably mounted on the fixed frame via the second elastic torsion part 23, and the drive unit 211 and the fixed frame can be twisted relative to each other. That is, the drive unit 211 and the fixed frame can be rotatably connected via the second elastic torsion part 23, so that the drive unit 211 can rotate on the fixed frame to transmit power to the connecting extension part 212, thereby driving the mirror 1 to deflect.

[0057] Specifically, such as Figure 9As shown, four actuators 2 are spaced apart around the mirror surface 1, and the connecting extensions 212 on the four actuators 2 are rotatably connected to the actuating connecting part 11 through the first elastic torsion part 22. The driving parts 211 on the four actuators 2 are connected to the connecting extensions 212, and the four driving parts 211 are rotatably connected to the fixing frame through the second elastic torsion part 23. In practical applications, the driving parts 211 can rotate on the fixing frame through the second elastic torsion part 23, thereby driving the connecting extensions 212 to move. The connecting extensions 212 then drive the actuating connecting part 11 to rise or fall through the first elastic torsion part 22, thereby driving the end of the mirror surface 1 to rise or fall, and thus achieving the deflection of the mirror surface 1.

[0058] Thus, the rotation of the drive unit 211 on the fixed frame and the rotation between the connecting extension 212 and the actuating connection 11 can be realized through the first elastic torsion part 22 and the second elastic torsion part 23, thereby realizing that the power is sequentially transmitted through the drive unit 211, the connecting extension 212, the first elastic torsion part 22 and the actuating connection 11 to drive the mirror 1 to deflect.

[0059] In some embodiments, the first elastic torsion portion 22 and / or the second elastic torsion portion 23 are constructed as engineered elastic structures such that the stiffness of the first elastic torsion portion 22 and / or the second elastic torsion portion 23 in the target rotation direction is less than its stiffness in the non-target rotation direction. That is, the first elastic torsion portion 22 and the second elastic torsion portion 23 can reduce the rotational resistance of the drive portion 211 on the fixed frame and the rotation between the connecting extension portion 212 and the actuating connection portion 11, and increase the resistance in the non-rotational direction, thereby facilitating the control of the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0060] In some embodiments, the elastic structure may be a flexible thin film, a locally thinned silicon beam, or a combination of both. That is, the first elastic torsion portion 22 and the second elastic torsion portion 23 may be constructed as a flexible thin film, a locally thinned silicon beam, or a combination of a flexible thin film and a locally thinned silicon beam, with flexible options available. The flexible thin film may be constructed as an independent thin film layer or as a thin-area structure formed after local thinning.

[0061] Specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, the first elastic torsion part 22 and the second elastic torsion part 23 can be constructed as a flexible film. That is, the fixed frame and the driving part 211 are connected through the flexible film, and the connecting extension part 212 and the actuating connection part 11 are connected through the flexible film. The flexible film can greatly reduce the vertical stiffness of the first elastic torsion part 22 and the second elastic torsion part 23, thereby facilitating the rotation between the driving part 211 and the fixed frame and between the connecting extension part 212 and the actuating connection part 11, which in turn facilitates the deflection of the driving mirror 1. The flexible film can also greatly increase the in-plane stiffness of the first elastic torsion part 22 and the second elastic torsion part 23, thereby reducing the degree of freedom of the first elastic torsion part 22 and the second elastic torsion part 23 in the non-rotation direction.

[0062] Furthermore, the flexible film can be made of non-silicon materials, and different types of flexible films can be used in combination, achieving more stiffness characteristics compared to traditional single silicon beams of the same thickness.

[0063] In some embodiments, the actuator 2 further includes a drive structure 24, which includes a rotor 241 and a stator 242. The rotor 241 is connected to the drive unit 211, and the stator 242 is used to drive the rotor 241 to rotate the drive unit 211. That is, power can be transmitted to the drive unit 211 through the drive structure 24, thereby controlling the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0064] Specifically, the rotor 241 and the stator 242 can cooperate with each other, and the rotor 241 is connected to the drive unit 211. When the mirror 1 needs to be deflected, the stator 242 can drive the rotor 241 to move, and the rotor 241 in turn drives the drive unit 211 to rotate. The drive unit 211 can transmit power to the connecting extension 212, and the connecting extension 212 in turn drives the mirror 1 to deflect through the actuation connecting part 11.

[0065] Thus, by driving the rotor 241 to move through the stator 242, the drive unit 211 can be driven to move, thereby transmitting power to the mirror 1 to drive the mirror 1 to deflect.

[0066] It should be noted that the stator component 242 and the rotor component 241 can be driven by electrostatic drive, electromagnetic drive, or other methods, and the specific method can be flexibly selected.

[0067] In some embodiments, the rotor component 241 includes a plurality of connecting beams 2411 spaced apart along a first direction, with movable gaps 2412 formed between adjacent connecting beams 2411, and a plurality of movable gaps 2412 spaced apart along the first direction are formed. That is, the number of connecting beams 2411 can be two, three, or more, with the specific number being flexibly selectable, and the number of movable gaps 2412 can also be two, three, or more, with the specific number being flexibly selectable. Specifically, as... Figure 7 As shown, there can be twelve connecting beams 2411 and eleven movable gaps 2412, with the connecting beams 2411 and movable gaps 2412 staggered. Compared to the traditional structure, eliminating the cantilevered comb structure reduces the bending deformation of the connecting beams 2411, thereby reducing contact failure between the stator component 242 and the rotor component 241, and thus reducing the risk of short circuits.

[0068] The stator component 242 includes a stator base 2421 and multiple stator teeth 2422. The multiple stator teeth 2422 are spaced apart along a first direction and respectively connected to the stator base 2421. Each stator tooth 2422 extends into a corresponding movable gap 2412. That is, the number of stator teeth 2422 can be two, three, or more, with the specific number being flexibly selectable. Specifically, for example... Figure 8 As shown, the number of stator comb teeth 2422 can be set to eleven. All eleven stator comb teeth 2422 are arranged on the stator base 2421 and are spaced apart along the first direction. At this time, the eleven stator comb teeth 2422 can be extended into the eleven movable gaps 2412 one by one. An electrostatic drive gap can be generated between the stator comb teeth 2422 and the connecting beam 2411, so that the stator component 242 can drive the rotor component 241 to move through electrostatic drive, thereby realizing the deflection of the mirror surface 1.

[0069] Therefore, by extending the stator comb teeth 2422 into the movable gap 2412, the stator component 242 and the rotor component 241 can be mutually engaged, thereby transmitting power to the drive unit 211 so that the drive unit 211 can drive the mirror 1 to deflect via the connecting extension 212. Furthermore, the connecting beam 2411 is not a simple cantilever beam, but rather resembles a double-ended restrained beam or part of a frame structure, possessing higher lateral stiffness. In this case, the connecting beam 2411 is less prone to bending in the first direction, thereby reducing the contact between the stator comb teeth 2422 and the connecting beam 2411 and thus lowering the probability of structural failure.

[0070] In some embodiments, the plurality of stator comb teeth 2422 are configured as mutually separated columnar, cylindrical, or peg-shaped electrode units; and the tops of each stator comb tooth 2422 are spaced apart and the bottoms are connected through the stator base 2421, and the plurality of stator comb teeth 2422 are electrically connected through the stator base 2421. Thus, the electrical connection of the stator comb teeth 2422 through the stator base 2421 enables the stator component 242 to form a stable and controllable electrostatic field or electromagnetic field, thereby realizing the driving of the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0071] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, the multiple stator comb teeth 2422 are constructed as cylindrical electrode units, and the multiple stator comb teeth 2422 are separately disposed on the stator base 2421 to realize the interconnection of the multiple stator comb teeth 2422. In addition, the stator comb teeth 2422 can retain a continuous silicon 5 island or silicon 5 base at the bottom, so that the multiple stator comb teeth 2422 can continue to be electrically connected at the bottom. In other words, a silicon 5 island is retained above the stator base 2421, and stator comb teeth 2422 extending upward can be formed above the silicon 5 island. The top of the stator comb teeth 2422 are electrodes that are separated from each other, and the bottom of the stator comb teeth 2422 are connected through the residual silicon 5 layer.

[0072] Thus, the insertion and engagement between rotor component 241 and stator component 242 can significantly improve the bending resistance of the connecting beam 2411, reduce the risk of contact, short circuit, adhesion and instability, and increase the driving force per unit area, providing a higher comb density for the compact mirror architecture 100. Furthermore, the continuous connection structure at the bottom of the stator comb 2422 can take into account both geometric compatibility and electrical connection requirements.

[0073] In some embodiments, the rotor component 241 further includes two side frames 2413, and a plurality of connecting beams 2411 including two top connecting beams 2411a located at both ends and a partial connecting beam 2411b located between the two top connecting beams 2411a. Both ends of the top connecting beams 2411a and both ends of the partial connecting beam 2411b are configured to be connected to the two side frames 2413 respectively. That is, the rotor component 241 can form a frame structure through the two side frames 2413 and the plurality of connecting beams 2411, resulting in stronger structural rigidity and stability.

[0074] Specifically, such as Figure 7 As shown, two side frames 2413 are respectively disposed at both ends of multiple connecting beams 2411, and the top connecting beam 2411a at both ends and the partial connecting beam 2411b in the middle are connected to the two side frames 2413, so that the two side frames 2413 can limit the connecting beams 2411, that is, reduce the bending, contact, short circuit and adhesion of the connecting beams 2411, thereby reducing the risk of structural failure.

[0075] Therefore, compared with the traditional structure, by setting two side frames 2413, the free cantilever comb teeth can be eliminated. The side frames 2413 can provide support for the connecting beam 2411 to make the connecting beam 2411 have greater stiffness, thereby reducing the bending, contact, short circuit and adhesion of the connecting beam 2411, thus reducing the failure risk of the structure. In other words, by changing the basic structural form of the rotor component 241 and the stator component 242, the ability of the structure to resist bending and contact failure can be improved, and the robustness of the structure in wet process can be improved.

[0076] In some embodiments, the thickness of the connecting beam 2411 in the first direction is configured to decrease from both ends to the middle, and the width of the movable gap 2412 in the first direction is configured to increase from both ends to the middle, and the width of the stator comb tooth 2422 in the first direction is configured to increase from both ends to the middle to cooperate with the inner wall of the movable gap 2412.

[0077] Specifically, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the rotor 241 has twelve connecting beams 2411, and the thickness of each of the twelve connecting beams 2411 in the first direction is configured to decrease from both ends to the middle. This makes the width of the movable gap 2412 formed by each two adjacent connecting beams 2411 in the first direction increase from both ends to the middle. The shape of the stator comb teeth 2422 is configured to cooperate with the movable gaps 2412 one by one, that is, the width of the stator comb teeth 2422 in the first direction is configured to increase from both ends to the middle. This allows the stator comb teeth 2422 to extend into the movable gaps 2412 to cooperate with the rotor 241, thereby enabling the stator 242 to drive the rotor 241 to move and transmit power to the connecting extension 212, thereby controlling the deflection of the mirror 1.

[0078] Therefore, by constructing the connecting beam 2411 to decrease from both ends to the middle so that the movable gap 2412 increases from both ends to the middle, and by constructing the stator comb teeth 2422 to increase from both ends to the middle, the rotor component 241 and the stator component 242 can cooperate with each other to drive the mirror 1 to deflect. Furthermore, the shapes of the connecting beam 2411, the movable gap 2412, and the stator comb teeth 2422 can improve the mechanical strength and overall stability of the connection area at both ends while ensuring the spacing between the connecting beam 2411 and the stator comb teeth 2422.

[0079] It should be noted that in the wet process, surface tension may be generated between the stator comb teeth 2422 and between the stator comb teeth 2422 and the surrounding structure. Compared with the traditional structure, the end-reinforced connecting beam 2411 can prevent the liquid from being retained between the stator comb teeth 2422 and between the stator comb teeth 2422 and the surrounding structure. Even if some liquid is retained, the liquid tends to flow to the narrower central area, thereby improving the consistency of liquid distribution between different moving gaps 2412 and reducing the risk of lateral adsorption caused by random unbalanced surface tension.

[0080] In some embodiments, the width of the movable gaps 2412 located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the movable gap 2412 located in the middle of the first direction; wherein, the width of the stator comb teeth 2422 located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the stator comb teeth 2422 located in the middle of the first direction.

[0081] Specifically, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, there are eleven movable gaps 2412, and the width of the two movable gaps 2412 located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the other nine movable gaps 2412. Also, there are eleven stator comb teeth 2422, and the width of the two stator comb teeth 2422 located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the other nine stator comb teeth 2422.

[0082] Therefore, one side of the stator comb teeth 2422 located at both ends in the first direction can form an active gap 2412 with the adjacent stator comb teeth 2422, while the other side has no active gap 2412. This allows it to withstand higher unbalanced surface tension or other unbalanced loads. Furthermore, the stator comb teeth 2422 at both ends of the stator component 242 have a larger width, which can improve the mechanical strength at both ends of the stator component 242, thereby improving robustness, increasing the density of the stator comb teeth 2422, and improving the driving force and the structure's resistance to failure.

[0083] In some embodiments, the first elastic torsion portion 22 and the second elastic torsion portion 23 can be pre-formed and patterned with a low-stress SiN, silicon dioxide 6, or other suitable thin film material below the top silicon 5 device. The patterning of the flexible thin film can be completed before wafer bonding. After the final release of the silicon 5 structure, the flexible thin film is partially exposed and forms the first elastic torsion portion 22 and the second elastic torsion portion 23, thereby obtaining a flexible thin film with a small thickness. The material and thickness are not limited by the thickness of the device layer silicon 5, which is beneficial for achieving more extreme anisotropy. The material of the flexible thin film is not limited to SiN or silicon dioxide 6, but can also be other suitable low-stress thin film materials, and the local thinning region can be achieved using different processes.

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown, patterned silicon dioxide 6 or SiN is provided on the upper wafer 3. The upper wafer 3 can then be bonded to the lower wafer 4, thereby removing the wafer support and realizing the beam structure that releases the etched silicon dioxide 6 or SiN.

[0085] And, such as Figure 6 As shown, a localized thinning region can be formed by the final release etching step etching, so that the thickness of the silicon beam 5 in that region is lower than that in other regions, thereby forming a flexible film with a smaller thickness. For example, the hard mask 8 and photoresist 7 can be patterned first, followed by the first silicon 5 etching, then the photoresist 7 can be removed, followed by the second silicon 5 etching, and finally the hard mask 8 can be removed.

[0086] Furthermore, the aspect ratio of deep reactive ion etching is dependent on the etching rate, and narrow trenches are arranged in specific areas so that a thinner residual silicon 5 thickness is retained in the area after the release etching is completed, thereby forming a flexible film with a smaller thickness.

[0087] Therefore, by constructing the first elastic torsion portion 22 and the second elastic torsion portion 23 as a flexible film, the stiffness of the first elastic torsion portion 22 and the second elastic torsion portion 23 in the rotation direction can be greatly reduced, while the stiffness in the non-rotation direction can be increased. This improves the stiffness ratio between the target degree of freedom and the non-target degree of freedom, thereby better constraining the non-target motion, improving the robustness and driving efficiency of the system, and providing more mechanical design freedom for the coupled mirror architecture 100.

[0088] In some embodiments, the connecting beam 2411 of the rotor component 241 can be formed by a top connecting beam 2411a, a side frame 2413, a partial connecting beam 2411b or other means, and the cross section of the stator comb 2422 can be spindle-shaped, elliptical, fusiform, rounded polygonal or other shapes that are conducive to strength and liquid distribution control. The specific shape can be flexibly selected. Furthermore, the two ends of the stator comb 2422 can be widened, ribbed or locally thickened, and the structure can be applied to single-axis, dual-axis or other multi-degree-of-freedom mirror architecture 100.

[0089] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0090] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A mirror structure, characterized in that, include: Mirror (1), the mirror (1) having a plurality of actuation connections (11) distributed circumferentially. Multiple actuators (2) are arranged around the mirror (1) and correspond one-to-one with multiple actuation connection parts (11). Each actuator (2) includes a support arm (21). The support arm (21) includes a drive part (211) and a connecting extension part (212). The drive part (211) is connected to the connecting extension part (212). At least part of the connecting extension part (212) is configured to extend from the drive part (211) along the circumference of the mirror (1) and connect to the corresponding actuation connection part (11) at an end away from the drive part (211). The drive part (211) is adapted to rotate under external force and drive the connecting extension part (212) to push the actuation connection part (11) up and down.

2. The mirror structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting extensions (212) of the plurality of support arms (21) all extend counterclockwise relative to the drive unit (211) along the circumference of the mirror (1); Alternatively, the connecting extensions (212) of the plurality of support arms (21) may extend in a clockwise direction relative to the drive portion (211) along the circumference of the mirror (1).

3. The mirror structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circumferential angle corresponding to the length of the connecting extension (212) extending circumferentially along the mirror (1) is 90° or 180°; And / or, the actuator (2) is three or four, and the three or four actuators (2) are evenly spaced apart along the circumference of the mirror (1).

4. The mirror structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting extension (212) includes a first connecting segment (2121) and a second connecting segment (2122). The first connecting segment (2121) is connected between the driving part (211) and the second connecting segment (2122). The end of the second connecting segment (2122) away from the first connecting segment (2121) is connected to the actuating connecting part (11). The width of the first connecting segment (2121) is set to gradually decrease along the circumference of the mirror (1) in a direction away from the driving part (211), and / or the width of the second connecting segment (2122) is set to gradually decrease along the circumference of the mirror (1) in a direction away from the first connecting segment (2121).

5. The mirror structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least one of the first connecting segment (2121) and the second connecting segment (2122) is provided with a weight reduction hole (213).

6. The mirror structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting extension (212) of one of the support arms (21) extends between the drive portion (211) of the adjacent support arm (21) and the mirror (1); Alternatively, a connecting extension (212) of one of the support arms (21) extends between the drive portion (211) of the spaced-apart support arm (21) and the mirror (1).

7. The mirror structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting extension (212) is connected to the actuating connection (11) through the first elastic torsion part (22), and the connecting extension (212) and the actuating connection (11) can be twisted relative to each other; And / or, the drive unit (211) is rotatably mounted on the fixed frame via the second elastic torsion part (23), and the drive unit (211) and the fixed frame are torsion relative to each other.

8. The mirror structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first elastic torsion portion (22) and / or the second elastic torsion portion (23) are constructed as engineered elastic structures such that the stiffness of the first elastic torsion portion (22) and / or the second elastic torsion portion (23) in the target rotation direction is less than the stiffness in the non-target rotation direction.

9. The mirror structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic structure may be a flexible film, a locally thinned silicon beam, or a combination of both.

10. The mirror structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The actuator (2) further includes a drive structure (24), which includes a rotor (241) and a stator (242). The rotor (241) is connected to the drive unit (211), and the stator (242) is used to drive the rotor (241) to rotate the drive unit (211).

11. The mirror structure according to claim 10, characterized in that, The rotor component (241) includes a plurality of connecting beams (2411) spaced apart along a first direction, with a movable gap (2412) formed between two adjacent connecting beams (2411), and a plurality of movable gaps (2412) spaced apart along the first direction. The stator component (242) includes a stator base (2421) and a plurality of stator comb teeth (2422). The plurality of stator comb teeth (2422) are spaced apart along the first direction and are respectively connected to the stator base (2421). The plurality of stator comb teeth (2422) extend into the plurality of movable gaps (2412) in a corresponding manner.

12. The mirror structure according to claim 11, characterized in that, The stator comb teeth (2422) are constructed as mutually separated columnar, cylindrical or piling electrode units; Furthermore, the tops of each of the stator comb teeth (2422) are spaced apart and the bottoms are connected through the stator base (2421), and the plurality of the stator comb teeth (2422) are electrically connected through the stator base (2421).

13. The mirror structure according to claim 11, characterized in that, The rotor component (241) also includes two side frames (2413), and the plurality of connecting beams (2411) include two top connecting beams (2411a) located at both ends and a partial connecting beam (2411b) located between the two top connecting beams (2411a), the two ends of the top connecting beams (2411a) and the two ends of the partial connecting beams (2411b) are configured to be connected to the two side frames (2413) respectively.

14. The mirror structure according to claim 11, characterized in that, The thickness of the connecting beam (2411) in the first direction is configured to decrease from both ends to the middle, and the width of the movable gap (2412) in the first direction is configured to increase from both ends to the middle. The width of the stator comb teeth (2422) in the first direction is configured to increase from both ends to the middle to cooperate with the inner wall of the movable gap (2412).

15. The mirror structure according to claim 11, characterized in that, The width of the movable gaps (2412) located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the movable gaps (2412) located in the middle in the first direction; Among the plurality of stator comb teeth (2422), the width of the stator comb teeth (2422) located at both ends in the first direction is greater than the width of the stator comb teeth (2422) located in the middle in the first direction.

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