Nonlocal Problems in MEMS Device Control

	MSM 2000 Technical Proceedings of the 2000 International Conference on Modeling and Simulation of Microsystems Chapter 11: Numerics, Algorithms
	Nonlocal Problems in MEMS Device Control
Authors:	J.A. Pelesko and A.A. Triolo
Affilation:	Georgia Institute of Technology, US
Pages:	509 - 512
Keywords:	MEMS control, electrostatic actuation, pull-in, instability, nonlocal elliptic problem
Abstract:	Perhaps the most ubiquitous phenomena associated with electrostatically actuated MEMS devices is the 'pull-in' voltage instability. In this instability, when applied voltages are increased beyond a certain critical voltage there is no longer a steady-state configuration of the device where mechanical members remain separate. This instability severely restricts the range of stable operation of many devices. Here, a mathematical model of an idealized electrostatically actuated MEMS device is constructed for the purpose of analyzing various schemes proposed for the control of the pull-in instability. This embedding of a device into a control circuit gives rise to a nonlinear and nonlocal elliptic problem which is analyzed through a variety of asymptotic, analytical, and numerical techniques. Variations in capacitive control schemes are shown to give rise to variations in solutions of the model and hence to effect the pull-in voltage and pull-in distance.
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ISBN:	0-9666135-7-0
Pages:	741
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