Surface micromachined scanning mirrors

Both aluminum cantilever and torsional scanning mirrors have been fabricated and their static and dynamic properties are studied experimentally and theoretically. The experiments showed resonance frequencies in the range of 163 k-Hz - 632 kHz for cantilever beams with Q values between 5 and 11. Torsional mirrors showed resonance frequencies in the range of 410 kHz - 667 kHz with Q values of 10 - 17. All measurements performed at atmospheric pressure. Both types of mechanical structures were deflected electrostatically at large angles (± 5°) more than 10¹¹ times without breaking and without any noticeable deterioration due to fatigue. A number of different light modulator arrays made up of adjacent devices was investigated and the measured performance parameters were in good agreement with calculations.