Electrostatic instability of micro-plates subjected to differential pressure
A semi-analytical approach
B Sajadi (TU Delft - Computational Design and Mechanics, TU Delft - Dynamics of Micro and Nano Systems)
J. F L Goosen (TU Delft - Computational Design and Mechanics)
Fred van Keulen (TU Delft - Computational Design and Mechanics)
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Abstract
Electrostatic instability is one of the main features of many electrostatic MEMS and NEMS devices. In this paper, we investigate how the electrostatic instability of a plate-like electrode can be affected by a differential pressure. The results of this study indicate that the presence of differential pressure can have a significant influence on the equilibrium path, the number and location of unstable points, and the post-instability behavior. As a result, while the system is loaded and unloaded electrically, the electrostatic instability might lead to a snapping behavior. The noticed snapping behavior of a flat plate makes it very appealing for sensing and actuating applications. This study is based on both a semi-analytical framework and finite element simulations. The proposed analytical solution is shown to be accurate enough to be used as an effective tool for design.
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