# US 12,216,271 B2 · Optical device, distance measurement apparatus, and mobile object > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,271 B2 - Document ID: US12216271B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/456,427 - Filed: 2021-11-24 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-27 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Soh Okumura - Inventors: Soh Okumura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216271B2 ## CPC - G02B 5/0816: {Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers (G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence)} - G02B 26/0858: {the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means} - G01S 7/4911: Transmitters - G01S 17/34: using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G02B 7/1821: {for rotating or oscillating mirrors} - H01S 5/0208: {Semi-insulating substrates} - H01S 5/141: {using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon (H01S5/146 takes precedence)} - H01S 5/18366: {Membrane DBR, i.e. a movable DBR on top of the VCSEL} - H01S 5/02315: Support members, e.g. bases or carriers - H01S 5/04252: {characterised by the material} - H01S 5/04257: {having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate} - H01S 5/18305: {with emission through the substrate, i.e. bottom emission} - H01S 5/18313: {by oxidizing at least one of the DBR layers} - H01S 5/423: {having a vertical cavity} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL ## Abstract An optical device includes: a first reflector; a second reflector facing the reflector; a light emitter between the first reflector and the second reflector; a base supporting the second reflector with space between the light emitter and the second reflector; a piezoelectric body configured to, in response to application of drive voltage, deform to cause the second region to deform to drive the second reflector so as to change a distance between the first reflector and the second reflector. The base has a first region and a second region having a lower stiffness than the first region. The second region has the second reflector and the piezoelectric body thereon. The optical device is configured to emit a laser beam whose wavelength is changeable with the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical device comprising: a first reflector; a second reflector facing the reflector; a light emitter between the first reflector and the second reflector; a base supporting the second reflector with space between the light emitter and the second reflector, the base having: a first region; and a second region having a lower stiffness than the first region, the second region having the second reflector and a piezoelectric body thereon; and the piezoelectric body configured to, in response to application of drive voltage, deform to cause the second region to deform to drive the second reflector so as to change a distance between the first reflector and the second reflector, wherein the optical device is configured to emit a laser beam whose wavelength is changeable with the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second region is thinner than the first region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein in the second region, the second reflector is surrounded by at least a part of the piezoelectric body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second reflector overlaps with at least part of the piezoelectric body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric body is on a surface of the second region, facing the light emitter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric body is one surface of the second region, opposite to the other surface facing the light emitter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the base is a first base, and the optical device further comprising: a second base supporting the first base and including: a third region; and a fourth region connecting the first base to the third region, the fourth region having a stiffness lower than the third region; and a driver configured to deform the fourth region to drive the first base so as to change at least one of a distance between the first reflector and the second reflector and a tilt angle of the second reflector relative to the first reflector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The optical device according to claim 7, wherein the second reflector and the second region have a resonance frequency different from a resonance frequency of the first base and the third region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The optical device according to claim 7, wherein the fourth region includes multiple beams whose adjacent ends are coupled to each other to form a meander structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The optical device according to claim 7, wherein the fourth region includes two or more fourth regions, and the driver includes two or more drivers, wherein the two or more fourth regions include two or more drivers, respectively. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the base includes multiple second regions, the second reflector includes multiple second reflectors, and the piezoelectric body includes multiple piezoelectric bodies, and wherein the multiple second regions include the respective second reflectors and the respective piezoelectric bodies. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical device according to claim 11 wherein each of the piezoelectric bodies independently drives corresponding one of the second reflectors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second reflector is a mirror on a component of the second region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second reflector includes a periodic structure on a component of the second region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second region includes a component including a multilayer-film mirror. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A distance measurement apparatus comprising: the optical device according to claim 1 to emit a laser beam to an object; a photosensor configured to receive the laser beam reflected from the object; and circuitry to measure at least one of a distance to the object and a speed of the object based on the received laser beam. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A mobile object comprising: the distance measurement apparatus according to claim 16 to measure at least one of a distance to the object and a speed of the object based on the laser beam reflected from the object; and processing circuitry configured to control movement of the mobile object based on a measurement result obtained by the distance measurement apparatus.