BIFURCATION OF EQUILIBRIUM IN MICROMACHINED ELASTIC STRUCTURES WITH LIQUID INTERFACE

Abstract

The determination of bifurcation of equilibrium in micromachined elastic structures with liquid interface is posed as nonlinear boundary-value problems associated with spatially distributed models involving fluid forces. Explicit nonlinear algebraic equations for determining the bifurcation points associated with micromachined cantilever beam and membrane are derived. These equations permit bifurcation analysis involving any system parameter. It is shown that bifurcation of equilibrium in these structures is of the fold type. Numerical results are obtained for typical cantilever beam and membrane.