Electrothermally actuated MEMS mirrors

Abstract

Mirrors are the fundamental building blocks for a wide range of optical systems, such as lasers, cameras, and optical microscopes. They may be stationary or scanning. Scanning mirrors manipulate light in free space and can be used to modulate, steer, deflect, or switch optical beams; they are the critical components in many active optical systems for optical imaging, ranging, switching, display, and laser cutting. Scanning mirrors can be categorized into two types: angular scanning mirrors and linear scanning mirrors. Most commonly used angular scanning mirrors are galvanometers, while linear scanning mirrors are often based on linear motors or piezoelectric actuators.