MEMS mirror with parallel springs and arched support for beams

1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror device, comprising:

a mirror;

a plurality of spring elements coupled to one half of the mirror;

a beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled by the plurality of spring elements to said one half of the mirror and (2) a distal end extending away from said one half of the mirror;

a spring coupled to the beam structure;

a stationary pad coupled by the spring to the beam structure,

wherein the plurality of spring elements and the spring have rotational axes aligned to a rotational axis of the mirror; and

wherein the plurality of spring elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a first plurality of spring elements comprising:

a straight section, wherein a first end of the straight section is coupled to said one half of the mirror;

a plurality of spring sections, wherein first ends of the spring sections are coupled to a second end of the straight section, and second ends of the spring sections are coupled to the beam structure;

wherein the spring sections are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs;

a second plurality of spring elements comprising:

a first straight section, wherein a first end of the first straight section is coupled to said one half of the mirror; and

a plurality of first springs, wherein first ends of the first springs are coupled to a second end of the first straight section, and second ends of the first springs are coupled to the beam structure;

a second straight section, wherein a first end of the second straight section extends from the second end of the first straight section;

a plurality of second springs, wherein first ends of the second springs are coupled to a second end of the second straight section, and second ends of the second springs are coupled to the beam structure;

wherein the first springs and the second springs are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs.

2. The MEMS mirror device of claim 1 , further comprising:

another plurality of spring elements coupled to another half of the mirror;

another beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled by said another plurality of spring elements to said another half of the mirror and (2) a distal end extending away from said another half of the mirror;

another spring coupled to said another beam structure;

another stationary pad coupled by said another spring to said another beam structure;

a support beam structure rigidly coupled to the beam structure and said another beam structure so they rotate the mirror in unison;

wherein said another plurality of spring elements and said another spring have rotational axes aligned to the rotational axis of the mirror.

3. The MEMS mirror device of claim 2 , wherein the support beam structure comprises an arch extending from the beam structure and said another beam structure around the mirror.

4. The MEMS mirror device of claim 2 , further comprising:

another support beam structure rigidly coupled to the beam structure and said another beam structure.

5. The MEMS mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the spring and the stationary pad are located within the beam structure.

6. The MEMS mirror device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of rotational teeth extending from the beam structure;

another stationary pad; and

a plurality of stationary teeth extending from said another stationary pad, wherein the stationary teeth are interdigitated with the rotational teeth.

7. The MEMS mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises:

a straight section, wherein a first end of the straight section is coupled to the stationary pad;

a plurality of spring sections, wherein first ends of the spring sections are coupled to a second end of the straight section, and second ends of the spring sections are coupled to the beam structure; and

wherein the spring sections are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs.

8. A method for operating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror device, comprising:

coupling one half of a mirror to a plurality of spring elements;

coupling a beam structure by the plurality of spring elements to said one half of the mirror, the beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled to the plurality of spring elements and (2) a distal end extending away from said one half of the mirror;

coupling the beam structure to a spring, wherein the plurality of spring elements and the spring have rotational axes aligned to a rotational axis of the mirror;

coupling a stationary pad by the spring to the beam structure;

rotating the beam structure, wherein the plurality of spring elements transfer a rotational motion of the beam structure to the mirror so the mirror rotates at a different angle than the beam structure; and

wherein the plurality of spring elements is selected from the group consisting of:

first plurality of spring elements, comprising:

a straight section, wherein a first end of the straight section is coupled to said one half of the mirror; and

a plurality of spring sections, first ends of the spring sections being coupled to a second end of the straight section, second ends of the spring sections being coupled to the beam structure, the spring sections being selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs;

a second plurality of spring elements, comprising:

a first straight section, wherein a first end of the first straight section is coupled to said one half of the mirror; and

a plurality of first springs, wherein first ends of the first springs are coupled to a second end of the first straight section, and second ends of the first springs are coupled to the beam structure;

a second straight section, wherein a first end of the second straight section extends from the second end of the first straight section;

a plurality of second springs, wherein first ends of the second springs are coupled to a second end of the second straight section, and second ends of the second springs are coupled to the beam structure;

wherein the first springs and the second springs are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said rotating the beam structure comprises:

providing a first voltage to a plurality of rotational teeth extending from the beam structure; and

providing a second voltage to a plurality of stationary teeth, the stationary teeth being interdigitated with the rotational teeth.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

coupling another half of the mirror to another plurality of spring elements;

coupling another beam structure by said another plurality of spring elements to said another half of the mirror;

coupling said another beam structure to another spring, wherein said another plurality of spring elements and said another spring have rotational axes aligned with the rotational axis of the mirror;

coupling another stationary pad by said another spring to said another beam structure; and

rigidly coupling the beam structure and said another beam structure with a support beam structure so they rotate the mirror in unison.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the spring comprises:

a straight section, wherein a first end of the straight section is coupled to the stationary pad;

a plurality of spring sections, wherein first ends of the spring sections are coupled to a second end of the straight section, and second ends of the spring sections are coupled to the beam structure; and

wherein the spring sections are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs.

12. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror device, comprising:

a mirror;

a first spring coupled to a first half of the mirror;

a first beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled by the first spring to the first half of the mirror and (2) a distal end extending away from the first half of the mirror;

a second spring coupled to the first beam structure;

a first stationary pad coupled by the second spring to the first beam structure;

a third spring coupled to a second half of the mirror;

a second beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled by the third spring to the second half of the mirror and (2) a distal end extending away from the second half of the mirror;

a fourth spring coupled to the second beam structure;

a second stationary pad coupled by the fourth spring to the second beam structure; and

a support beam structure rigidly coupled to the first and the second beam structures so they rotate the mirror in unison.

13. The MEMS mirror device of claim 12 , wherein the support beam structure comprises an arch extending from the first and the second beam structures around the mirror.

14. The MEMS mirror device of claim 12 , further comprising:

another support beam structure rigidly coupled to the first and the second beam structures, wherein the support beam structure comprises an arch extending from a first side of the first and the second beam structures around the mirror, and said another support beam structure comprises a second arch extending from a second side of the first and the second beam structures around the mirror.

15. The MEMS mirror device of claim 12 , wherein the second spring and the first stationary pad are located within the first beam structure.

16. The MEMS mirror device of claim 12 , further comprising:

a plurality of rotational teeth extending from the first and the second beam structures;

a third stationary pad; and

a plurality of stationary teeth extending from the third stationary pad, wherein the stationary teeth are interdigitated with the rotational teeth.

17. The MEMS mirror device of claim 12 , further comprising:

a fifth spring coupled to the first half of the mirror and the first beam structure; and

a sixth spring coupled to the second half of the mirror and the second beam structure, wherein the first, the third, the fifth, and the sixth springs comprise U-shaped springs having rotational axes aligned to a rotational axis of the mirror.

18. The MEMS mirror device of claim 12 , wherein the first and the third springs are each selected from the group consisting of:

a first plurality of spring elements, comprising:

a straight section, wherein a first end of the straight section is coupled to a respective half of the mirror;

a plurality of spring sections, wherein first ends of the spring sections are coupled to a second end of the straight section, and second ends of the spring sections are coupled to a respective beam structure;

wherein the spring sections are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs;

a second plurality of spring elements, comprising:

a first straight section, wherein a first end of the first straight section is coupled to a respective half of the mirror; and

a plurality of first springs, wherein first ends of the first springs are coupled to a second end of the first straight section, and second ends of the first springs are coupled to a respective beam structure;

a second straight section, wherein a first end of the second straight section extends from the second end of the first straight section;

a plurality of second springs, wherein first ends of the second springs are coupled to a second end of the second straight section, and second ends of the second springs are coupled to the respective beam structure;

wherein the first springs and the second springs are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs.

19. A method for operating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) mirror device, comprising:

coupling a first half of a mirror to a first spring;

coupling a first beam structure by the first spring to the first half of the mirror, the first beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled to the first spring and (2) a distal end extending away from the first half of the mirror;

coupling the first beam structure to a second spring;

coupling a first stationary pad by the second spring to the first beam structure;

coupling a second half of a mirror to a third spring;

coupling a second beam structure by the third spring to the second half of the mirror, the second beam structure having (1) a proximal end coupled to the third spring and (2) a distal end extending away from the second half of the mirror;

coupling the second beam structure to a fourth spring;

coupling a second stationary pad by the fourth spring to the second beam structure;

rigidly coupling the first and the second beam structures with a third beam structure so the first and the second beam structures rotate the mirror in unison; and

rotating the first and the second beam structures, wherein the first and the third springs transfer a rotational motion of the first and the second beam structures to the mirror so the mirror rotates at a different angle than the first and the second beam structures.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

coupling a fifth spring to the first half of the mirror and the first beam structure; and

coupling a sixth spring to the second half of the mirror and the second beam structure, wherein the first, the third, the fifth, and the sixth springs comprises U-shaped springs having rotational axes aligned to a rotational axis of the mirror.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first and the third springs are each selected from the group consisting of:

a first plurality of spring elements, comprising:

a straight section, wherein a first end of the straight section is coupled to a respective half of the mirror;

a plurality of spring sections, wherein first ends of the spring sections are coupled to a second end of the straight section, and second ends of the spring sections are coupled to a respective beam structure;

wherein the spring sections are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs;

a second plurality of spring elements, comprising:

a first straight section, wherein a first end of the first straight section is coupled to a respective half of the mirror; and

a plurality of first springs, wherein first ends of the first springs are coupled to a second end of the first straight section, and second ends of the first springs are coupled to a respective beam structure;

a second straight section, wherein a first end of the second straight section extends from the second end of the first straight section;

a plurality of second springs, wherein first ends of the second springs sections are coupled to a second end of the second straight section, and second ends of the second springs are coupled to the respective beam structure;

wherein the first springs and the second springs are selected from the group consisting of straight-shaped springs, U-shaped springs, and serpentine-shaped springs.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein said rotating the first and the second beam structures comprises:

providing a first voltage to a plurality of rotational teeth extending from the first and the second beam structures; and

providing a second voltage to a plurality of stationary teeth, the stationary teeth being interdigitated with the rotational teeth.