A MEMS micromirror based head-up display system

A 3 DOF micromirror is controlled to steer a laser beam for laser scanned display. The micromirror consists of a 1 mm mirror plate which is driven by four repulsive-force rotation electrostatic actuators. The micromirror is fabricated using the surface micromachining process, PolyMUMPs. The overall size of the micromirror including the four actuators is 3.5 mm by 3.5 mm. Each actuator can be controlled individually by varying the applied voltage. When in operation, changing the voltage in one or two actuators will tilt the mirror towards a desired direction. Thus, by controlling the voltages applied to the four repulsive-force actuators, the micromirror can be rotated to stir the laser beam. Three micromirrors are integrated with lasers and optics to form a low cost and portable vector graphic display device that is integrated as a head-up display system for automotive systems. The laser beams are steered at high speeds to produce a static image on a screen. The integrated device consists of a TTL modulated laser module, which includes a plano-convex lens used to focus the laser beam, and a biconcave lens to magnify the output image. The integrated system is able to display navigation information and vehicle notifications to the driver.