ABSTRACT
To explain relationships between fundamental characteristics of optical and
mechanical functions, optical devices are classified by energy and informa-
tion effects in Fig. 1. Energy effects [1] are divided into radiation pressure chemical changes, heating effects, and optoelectric (OE) conversion. The
heating effects are divided into magnetism change, phase change, swellings, and melting. Information effects are based on the characteristic properties
of waves and usually use propagating light. In recent years, near field light
localized at dielectric surfaces has also come into use. Propagating light is characterized by traveling in straight lines, interference, diffraction,
reflection, refraction, polarization, and resonance. Many devices of micro-
optomechatronics are realized based on such properties. In the first application field, there are communication devices. The optical magnetism
relay [2] and the optical distortion relay [3] use the energy effect, and the optical fiber switch [4], the waveguide switch [4], the optical MDF (main
distributing frame), the wavelength tunable laser, and the optical disk filter
use the information effect. In the second application field, there are information memories. Data recording is carried out on magneto-optical,
phase-change, and rewritable compact disks by using the energy effects.
Data reproduction, tracking, and focusing are carried out for all kinds of disks based on the information effect of light. In the third application field,
there is input/output equipment. Digital micromirror devices (DMD) [3], laser printers, blurring-free VTRs, autofocus cameras, and scanners work
based on the information effect. A photophone [5] uses the energy effect. In
the fourth application field, there are measurement apparatus. They include
an optical fiber gyroscope [6], the optical tiltmeter [7], the CCL sensor, the SNOM (scanning near field optical microscope) [8], and the microencoder [3], all of which are based on the information effect. The optical thermooscillator [4] use the energy effect. In the fifth application field, there are processing, handling, and other power-oriented equipment. These applications include those for the microworld, such as optical tweezers, optical grippers, optical distortion actuators, laser processing machines, and the optical molding machine; all of these use the energy effect.
