Optical Reflection Element Separation Groove Reduces Current Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical reflection elements face challenges in self-excited driving due to increased resistance causing current leakage between electrode layers, which decreases detection accuracy and prevents high-frequency operation.
Innovation Solution
The optical reflection element features a separation groove between the drive element and monitor element, ensuring the shortest conductive path is longer than the distance to the external electrode, reducing ground resistance and preventing current leakage, thereby enhancing detection accuracy and enabling high-accuracy self-excited driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the ground electrode is arranged lengthwise to reduce ground resistance, then the detection accuracy of the monitor element improves, but current leakage increases between the upper electrode layer of the monitor element and the upper electrode layer of the drive element
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the electrode structure by introducing a separation groove between the monitor element and drive element. This groove segments the continuous conductive path, forcing current to take a longer route through the lower electrode layer to reach ground, thereby reducing current leakage while maintaining low ground resistance through optimized grounding paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation groove acts as an intermediary barrier between the monitor element and drive element. It introduces an insulating medium (the groove filled with insulating material or air) that increases the electrical resistance between adjacent upper electrode layers, effectively reducing current leakage while allowing both elements to function independently.
2Productivity
If the driving frequency is increased to improve performance, then the amplitude of oscillation increases, but self-excited driving becomes impossible due to current leakage
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the electrode structure with a separation groove, the patent eliminates current leakage that previously prevented high-frequency self-excited driving. This enables the system to maintain reliable self-excited driving capability even at high driving frequencies where large oscillation amplitudes are achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the system by introducing the separation groove, which modifies the resistance and conductance characteristics. This parameter change allows the system to operate in the high-frequency regime while maintaining self-excited driving capability, as the groove reduces parasitic current paths that would otherwise destabilize the oscillation.
3Measurement precision
If the lower electrode layer is arranged lengthwise to reduce ground resistance, then the detection accuracy improves, but the conductive path between monitor element and drive element becomes shorter causing current leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The separation groove segments the conductive path of the lower electrode layer, forcing current to travel a longer distance to reach ground. This segmentation maintains low ground resistance through optimized grounding while simultaneously increasing the conductive path length between monitor and drive elements to reduce current leakage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design ensures high detection accuracy and reliable self-excited driving, even at high frequencies, by minimizing current leakage and maintaining low ground resistance, allowing for efficient operation of the optical reflection element.
Implementation Method 1
The drive element is composed of a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer. By applying voltage to the drive element, mirror portion 2 rotates about axes S1 and S2.
Implementation Method 2
The monitor element detects an electrical signal, and supplies the signal to the upper electrode layer of the drive element via a feedback circuit.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical reflection element includes a mirror portion and an oscillator coupled to the mirror portion. The oscillator includes a base, an insulating layer, a drive element, and a monitor element. The insulating layer is formed on the base. The drive element and the monitor element are formed on the insulating layer, and are separated from each other by a separation groove. Each of the drive element and the monitor element includes a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer formed in that order on the insulating layer. The monitor element has high detection accuracy, allowing the optical reflection element to perform self-excited driving with high accuracy.