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Pull-in Dynamics of Electrostatically Actuated Bistable Micro Beams

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Advanced Materials and Technologies for Micro/Nano-Devices, Sensors and Actuators

Abstract

Bistable micro and nano structures integrated into microsystems exhibit clear functional advantages including the existence of several stable configurations at the same actuation force, extended working range and tunable resonant frequencies. In this work, after a short review of various operational principles of bistable micro devices, we present results of a theoretical investigation of the transient dynamics of an initially curved bistable micro beam actuated by distributed electrostatic and inertial forces. The unique combination of mechanical and electrostatic nonlinearities results in the existence of sequential mechanical (snap-through) and electrostatic (pull-in) instabilities. A phase plane analysis performed using a consistently derived lumped model along with the numerical reduced order model results indicate that the dynamic character of loading may have significant influence on the stability range of the beam. Critical voltages corresponding to the dynamic snap-through and pull-in instabilities are lower than their static counterparts while the minimal curvature required for the appearance of the dynamic snap-through is higher than in the static case.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Similar considerations are applicable to magnetically bistable structures which are not considered here.

  2. 2.

    At some specific value of the initial elevation, β DS = β DPI and two separatrices corresponding to the dynamic snap-through and the dynamic pull-in may merge into one trajectory combining homoclinic and heteroclinic connections.

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Acknowledgements

The research is supported by The Israel Science Foundation (Grant No. 1426/08).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microsystems Design and Characterization Laboratory School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel

    Slava Krylov & Nir Dick

Authors
  1. Slava Krylov
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  2. Nir Dick
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Slava Krylov .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc., Junction Avenue 2581, San Jose, 95134, USA

    Evgeni Gusev

  2. Inst. Advanced Materials Devices &, Nanotechnology, Rutgers University, Taylor Road 610, Piscataway, 08854, USA

    Eric Garfunkel

  3. A.E Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Polytekhnicheskaya ul. 26, St. Petersburg, 194021, Russian Federation

    Arthur Dideikin

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Krylov, S., Dick, N. (2010). Pull-in Dynamics of Electrostatically Actuated Bistable Micro Beams. In: Gusev, E., Garfunkel, E., Dideikin, A. (eds) Advanced Materials and Technologies for Micro/Nano-Devices, Sensors and Actuators. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series B: Physics and Biophysics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3807-4_9

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