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Linearized control of an uniaxial micromirror with electrostatic parallel-plate actuation

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Abstract

Electrostatic parallel-plate actuation is a common method for driving micromirrors with analog deflection control. This actuation enables high dynamics, low power consumption, compact design, large mirror deflection and a fabrication with MEMS-technology. The drawback is the highly nonlinear behavior of the angle vs. voltage curve by using the common single-ended or differential control. This paper presents an advanced control method. A four-electrode arrangement is used to drive the mirror. An “actuating electrode” which is placed close to the rotation axis and an “outer electrode” on each side are used. For the actuation, the electrodes from only one side are used. The outer electrode voltage is in dependence on the driving voltage which is applied at the actuating electrode. This dependence is described by a control function. This one allows realizing a nearly linear angle vs. driving voltage curve, by increasing or decreasing the additional actuating torque caused by the outer electrode. To show the suitability of this method, a laser beam is deflected by a micromirror and is detected by a position-sensitive device (PSD) which is mounted on a moving stage. The PSD is used as feedback sensor and the mirror is actuated using a linear PID-controller. Stage movements with a speed of up to 80 mm/s have been tracked over an angular range between 0.8° and 12.3° for tilting the mirror with an angular velocity of about 14.7°/s.

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Acknowledgments

This work is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the project “Spitzenforschung und Innovation in den Neuen Ländern—Kompetenzdreieck Optische Mikrosysteme”, Grant No. 16SV5473 and was also supported by the Free State of Thuringia within “Graduiertenschule OMITEC”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Micromechanical Systems Group, IMN MacroNano®, Technische Universität Ilmenau, PO Box 100565, 98684, Ilmenau, Germany

    Stefan Weinberger, Roméo Lecomte, Yahia Cheriguen & Martin Hoffmann

  2. System Analysis Group, IMN MacroNano®, Technische Universität Ilmenau, PO Box 100565, 98684, Ilmenau, Germany

    Tran Trung Nguyen & Christoph Ament

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  1. Stefan Weinberger
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  2. Tran Trung Nguyen
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  3. Roméo Lecomte
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  4. Yahia Cheriguen
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  5. Christoph Ament
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  6. Martin Hoffmann
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Correspondence to Stefan Weinberger.

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Weinberger, S., Nguyen, T.T., Lecomte, R. et al. Linearized control of an uniaxial micromirror with electrostatic parallel-plate actuation. Microsyst Technol 22, 441–447 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-015-2535-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-015-2535-2

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