A perturbed fourth order elliptic equation with negative exponent

Abstract

By a new type of comparison principle for a fourth order elliptic problem in general domains, we investigate the structure of positive solutions to Navier boundary value problems of a perturbed fourth order elliptic equation with negative exponent, which arises in the study of the deflection of charged plates in electrostatic actuators in the modeling of electrostatic micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). It is seen that the structure of solutions relies on the boundary values. The global branches of solutions to the Navier boundary value problems are established. We also show that the behaviors of these branches are relatively stable with respect to the Navier boundary values.