Patent ID: 8461743

Claim:
A method of driving an electrostatic actuator comprising a first electrode provided on a substrate, a second electrode arranged above the first electrode to be movable in a vertical direction, and an insulating film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, the method comprising: boosting a power supply voltage to generate a driving voltage of the electrostatic actuator; controlling an operation of the electrostatic actuator by applying voltages to the first electrode and the second electrode to set the electrostatic actuator in an up state or a down state, either the first electrode or the second electrode being not in contact with the insulating film in the up state, both the first electrode and the second electrode being in contact with the insulating film in the down state; and applying the driving voltages to both the first electrode and the second electrode when the electrostatic actuator is switched from the down state to the up state and while the electrostatic actuator is in the up state.