Stabilization of electrostatically actuated microstructures using parametric excitation

• Published in: Journal of micromechanics and microengineering Vol. 15; no. 6; pp. 1188 - 1204
• Main Authors: Krylov, Slava, Harari, Isaac, Cohen, Yaron
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.06.2005; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Micromechanical devices and systems; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Parametric excitation; Stability; Mathieu equation; Stabilization; Pull in voltage; Capacitive transducer; Galerkin method; Non linear effect; Hill equation; Modeling; Cantilever beam; Electrostatic force

Electrostatically actuated microstructures are inherently nonlinear and can become unstable. Pull-in instability is encountered as a basic instability mechanism. We demonstrate that the parametric excitation of a microstructure by periodic (ac) voltages may have a stabilizing effect and permits an i...