Miniaturized auto-focusing VCM actuator with zero holding current

In keeping with consumers' preferences for electronic products of ever smaller size and enhanced functionality, it is necessary to reduce the profile of the auto-focusing actuators used in camera phones without sacrificing their performance. Accordingly, this study modifies the Voice Coil Motor (VCM) actuator proposed by the current group in a previous study (C. S. Liu and P. D. Lin, Opt. Express, 16, 2533-2540, 2008) to accomplish a miniaturized auto-focusing actuator for cell phone camera modules with minimal power consumption. The proposed device comprises a VCM, a closed-loop position control system, a magnetoconductive plate, and a lens support structure to drive the lens to the optimal focusing position. The experimental results show that the actuator has a zero holding current when maintaining the lens in the specified focusing position. Overall, it is shown that compared to existing VCM actuators, the proposed actuator has both a higher power efficiency and an improved positioning repeatability. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America