Patent ID: 7220009

Claim:
An optical deflector comprising: a movable mirror; a gimbal for rotatably supporting said movable mirror about a first rotational axis with a first support portion; a frame for rotatably supporting said gimbal with a second support portion about a second rotational axis that forms an angle relative to the first rotational axis; a moving comb electrode, said moving comb electrode (a) being provided along the entire length of a side of an end of said gimbal so that said moving comb electrode extends from end to end of the side of the end of said gimbal and (b) having a surface extending approximately parallel to a direction of a rotational movement of said gimbal, wherein the length of the side of the end portion of said gimbal on which said moving comb electrode is provided is longer than the length of said movable mirror; a stationary comb electrode, said stationary comb electrode being disposed facing the surface of said moving comb electrode; an electrostatic driving unit for displacing said gimbal about the second rotational axis by an electrostatic force acting between said moving comb electrode and said stationary comb electrode; and an electromagnetic driving unit for displacing said movable mirror about the first rotational axis by an electromagnetic force.