Design of a slim-type optical pick-up actuator using PMN-PT bimorphs

In this paper, a new optical pick-up actuator is proposed using PMN-PT (lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate) bimorphs for slim and small form factor optical disk drives. We suggest a novel structure enabling both tracking and focusing motions by changing the moving directions of the two parallel bimorphs. A cymbal-type flextensional structure is used as a displacement amplifier in order to meet the stroke requirement for optical pick-up actuators. We have performed the theoretical analyses for the bimorph actuator and displacement amplifier to predict the resultant force and displacement. The proposed actuator based on PMN-PT bimorphs and displacement amplifier has been manufactured, and the experimental results are compared to the analytical predictions. Experimental results agree well with the analytical predictions, showing that the cymbal structure amplifies the displacement twice and the focusing stroke is 52 µm at 10 V.