Optical deflector

Abstract

The present invention provides an optical deflector which is capable of reducing a temperature drift of a strain gauge due to a temperature gradient, and detecting with high accuracy an angular displacement of a mirror surface. The optical deflector which deflects light includes a movable plate, two fixed portions which are disposed at an outer side of the movable plate, two elastic supporting members which are disposed such that the elastic supporting members are substantially symmetric about a center line of the movable plate, and which connect the movable plate and the two fixed portions, an angular-displacement detecting portion having a Wheatston bridge as a measuring portion which includes two active resistors, and two reference resistors, and detects an angular displacement of the movable plate, and at least one resistor element, such as the two active resistors are provided on the elastic supporting portion. In the optical deflector, all the four resistor elements are in an isothermal characteristics area which is an area in which all the resistor elements are at approximately the same temperature condition.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.