High Speed Biaxial Piezoelectric MEMS Micromirror with Varifocal Tunability

High Speed Biaxial Piezoelectric MEMS Micromirror with Varifocal Tunability | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article High Speed Biaxial Piezoelectric MEMS Micromirror with Varifocal Tunability Hunter Shillingburg, Daniel Lopez This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370418/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract High-speed control of light in 3D space is a rapidly advancing field because it enables unique applications in neurobiology, communications, laser micromachining, and augmented/virtual reality. Several technologies have been demonstrated to advance this field, such as complex spatial light modulators (SLMs) and intricate optical systems that independently control in-plane and out-of-plane beam steering. These systems face significant limitations in speed, data handling, and power dissipation, and their bulky optical components hinder integration into other systems. Here, we present a tip-tilt-curvature micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) scanner that overcomes these limitations by combining rapid lateral beam steering with ultra-fast axial focal tuning in a compact form factor of only a few millimeters. The device achieves lateral scan rates exceeding 10 kHz with axial focus modulation over tens of centimeters at operating frequencies exceeding 100 kHz. In benchmarking our device against other tip-tilt-curvature MEMS scanners, the one presented here demonstrates outstanding performance in combining lateral and axial scanning speeds. This performance, along with its compactness, establishes a new scalable architecture for dynamic three-dimensional control of light with high spatiotemporal resolution. Physical sciences/Optics and photonics/Applied optics/Optoelectronic devices and components Physical sciences/Optics and photonics/Optical materials and structures micromirror micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) piezoelectric actuation varifocal tunability laser scanning Lissajous figure digital holography microscope (DHM) Full Text Additional Declarations There is no conflict of interest Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8370418","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":564903124,"identity":"adaa1663-91dd-474d-9935-bf317bac5a38","order_by":0,"name":"Hunter Shillingburg","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAwUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACA+YD7B8S/9jIQbhsxGhhS2BjeNiQZkyaFsaHDYcTG4jWYs7G/uxB4o609O38ZwwYPpQdJqzFso3H3CDxjE3uzhk5BowzzhGhxeB+D4NEAlta7oYbPAbMvG3EaDnG/gCo5XC6wfkzBsx/idPCYCaR2HY4weBAjgEzI3FaeIwNEs6kGe6ckVZwsOdcOlEOe/jwR4WNvDn/4Y0PfpRZE9aC0AvEB0hQD9UyCkbBKBgFowArAABimz6dQ9+T4QAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Penn State University, 207 Electrical Engineering West, University Park, 16802, PA, US","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hunter","middleName":"","lastName":"Shillingburg","suffix":""},{"id":564903123,"identity":"21725609-b2ab-43c8-8efb-93363a708912","order_by":1,"name":"Daniel Lopez","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAv0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFAC5vYPCRVschAOG1FaGNsYPpzhMyZNC+PMFrnEBqK18Esktj3mbTBL385/xoDhQ9lhwlokZyS2G/PuSMvdOSPHgHHGOSK0GJw52CDNe+ZY7oYbPAbMvG1Ea2n7n25w/owB81+itBxvbJOc2caWYHAgx4CZkRgtku2NzQYfzrAZ7pyRVnCw51w6YS38zMwHHwCjUt6c//DGBz/KrAlrQbgQiA+QoB6qZRSMglEwCkYBVgAAjRw9Q36FwGgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7174-4013","institution":"Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Penn State University, 207 Electrical Engineering West, University Park, 16802, PA, US; Materials Research Institute, Penn State University, University Park, 16802, PA, US","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Daniel","middleName":"","lastName":"Lopez","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-12-16 00:00:40","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370418/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370418/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108491845,"identity":"16b81943-0cc9-47a0-9812-5c900dcabe6c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-05 09:55:55","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":985554,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Article File","description":"","filename":"PiezoMEMSMaintext.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8370418/v1_covered_cfec6350-fb58-4e1a-a450-6f04eaf2af83.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is no conflict of interest","formattedTitle":"High Speed Biaxial Piezoelectric MEMS Micromirror with Varifocal Tunability","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"microsystems-and-nanoengineering","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"micronano","sideBox":"Learn more about [Microsystems \u0026 Nanoengineering](http://www.nature.com/micronano/)","snPcode":"41378","submissionUrl":"https://mts-micronano.nature.com/","title":"Microsystems \u0026 Nanoengineering","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"Nature AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"micromirror, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), piezoelectric actuation, varifocal tunability, laser scanning, Lissajous figure, digital holography microscope (DHM)","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370418/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8370418/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"High-speed control of light in 3D space is a rapidly advancing field because it enables unique applications in neurobiology, communications, laser micromachining, and augmented/virtual reality. 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