Piezoelectric 1D MEMS scanning micromirror fabricated with bulk PZT laminated on stainless steel plate

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A. Physical. Vol. 366; p. 114931
• Main Authors: Yoon, Hyun, Ju, Suna, Ji, Chang-Hyeon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.02.2024
• Subjects: Bulk PZT; Light Detection and Ranging; Piezoelectric Actuation; Scanning Micromirror; Stainless Steel Plate; Scanning Micromirror; Piezoelectric Actuation; Bulk PZT; Stainless Steel Plate; Light Detection and Ranging
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2023.114931

In this research, a piezoelectric metal scanning micromirror with a large reflective surface area is presented. Unlike conventional scanning micromirrors fabricated with single-crystal silicon, stainless steel plate is used as the structural layer material. Two distinct device models, varying in cantilever and connector geometry, were conceptualized and experimentally assessed. These fabricated devices utilized the strain induced in bulk PZT (lead zirconate titanate) plates affixed to the cantilevers on opposing sides of the reflective surface. A 5 mm-diameter gold-coated silicon mirror plate served as the reflective surface. We evaluated the performance of two bulk PZT plates, PZT-5H and PZT-8. Our experimental results reveal that model #1, driven by PZT-5H with a sinusoidal input voltage of 200 Vpp, achieved a maximum optical scan angle of 26°, while model #2 exhibited a more substantial maximum scan angle of 44°. The average resonant frequency of the PZT-5H samples was 1264 Hz for model #1 and 995 Hz for model #2. These findings underscore the viability of stainless steel plates as a robust structural layer for piezoelectric scanning micromirrors. The proposed design holds potential for integration into a 3D LiDAR system when combined with an additional slow vertical scanner. [Display omitted] ●A 5 mm-diameter piezoelectric 1D scanning micromirror is fabricated with stainless steel plate.●Bulk PZT plates are laminated onto the steel cantilevers for actuation.●Two types of devices with different spring geometries were designed and tested.●Fabricated device exhibited optical scan angle of 44° at 995 Hz with 200 Vpp input.