Micromirror device with tilt and piston motions

A newly developed micromirror device that possesses two rotational (tilt) and one displacement (piston) degrees of freedom has been designed and fabricated by using surface micromachining technology. The device consists of a micromirror, four vertical thermal-actuator arrays and four torsion bars that connect the mirror and the actuator. The vertical thermal actuator has the capability to elevate from its origin position. To demonstrate the feasibility of the vertical thermal actuator, various layouts and sizes has been designed. The present device was fabricated through the Multi-User MEMS process (MUMPs). When the controlled signal is applied to any two adjacent thermal-actuator arrays of the device, the remain two thermal actuator arrays and torsion bars will act as the supporting beams that allow the micromirror to experience rolling or pitching motion. On the other hand, by applying controlled signals to all four thermal-actuator arrays synchronously, the micromirror would elevate vertically. Note that different rolling or pitching angle of the micromirror can be archived by designing the locations of the torsion bars with vertical thermal actuators. Through the process, a compact, extremely light in weight, potentially low cost, and operating in very low voltage (<10 V) micromirror device with various applications can be obtained.