ELECTROSTATIC DRIVE TYPE ACTUATOR AND OPTICAL SWITCH USING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrostatic drive type actuator which is adapted to an optical switch or particularly to a matrix optical switch and which has a small size/low power.;SOLUTION: This electrostatic drive type actuator includes a movable member deformed by an electrostatic attraction force, a fixed member connected to the movable member, and a magnetic force attraction member for holding a shape in the state that the movable member is attracted. The fixed member has a connector connected to the movable member, and a fixed electrode part connected to the connector and having the form that a distance to the movable member gets longer toward the distal end of the movable member in a length direction. The movable member has a movable electrode part deformed by connecting to the connector, and a magnetic part mounted at the distal end of the movable electrode part at the opposite side of the connector and made of a soft magnetic plate. The magnetic force attraction member has a permanent magnet part for holding the magnetic part by a magnetic attraction force in the state that the movable electrode part is attracted to the fixed electrode part by the electromagnetic attraction force, and an electromagnet part for weakening the magnetic field of permanent magnet part.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI