US Patent 7490947 Microoptic reflecting component

The invention relates to active microoptic reflecting components for adapting or changing the focal length or focal position in optical systems. It is the object of the invention to make available a miniaturized reflecting microoptic component for focusing or defocusing incident electromagnetic radiation, with which a variation in the focal distance can be achieved simply and at low cost. On the component according to the invention there is an elastically deformably membrane which is formed at least with one reflecting layer comprising a first material or material mixture and at least with one further layer or substrate which is formed from a second material or material mixture. First and second materials or material mixtures have thermal coefficients of expansion which deviate from each other. In addition a heating or temperature control mechanism is present.