Patent ID: 7825755

Claim:
An electrostatic microactuator comprising: a capacitance, including a semiconductor substrate; an elastic mechanical structure having a first portion anchored directly on the semiconductor substrate and a second portion facing the semiconductor substrate and distanced from the semiconductor substrate so as to form an air layer therebetween, the elastic mechanical structure being made from an electrically conductive material or a semiconductor material, and the elastic mechanical structure being mechanically movable; a photodiode which is connected in series or in parallel to the capacitance, the photodiode being formed on the first portion of the elastic mechanical structure or between the first portion of the elastic mechanical structure and the semiconductor substrate; and a power source connected to the first portion of the elastic mechanical structure via a resistance and operable to supply voltage to apply backward bias to a side of the elastic mechanical structure at which the capacitance is connected to the photodiode.