Frequency Response for MEMS Circular Plate Resonators Under Superharmonic Resonance of the Second Order

Abstract

A nonlinear dynamics investigation is conducted on the frequency-amplitude response of electrostatically actuated micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) clamped plate resonators. The Alternating Current (AC) voltage is operating in the realm of superharmonic resonance of second order. This is given by an AC frequency near one-fourth of the natural frequency of the resonator. The magnitude of the AC voltage is large enough to be considered as hard excitation. The external forces acting on the MEMS resonator are viscous air damping and electrostatic force. Two proven mathematical models are utilized to obtain a predicted frequency-amplitude response for the MEMS resonator. Method of Multiple Scales (MMS) allows the transformation of a partial differential equation of motion into zero-order and first-order problems. Hence, MMS can be directly applied to obtain the frequency-amplitude response. Reduced Order Model (ROM), based on the Galerkin procedure, uses mode shapes of vibration for undamped circular plate resonator as a basis of functions. ROM is numerically integrated using MATLAB software package to obtain time responses. Also, ROM is used to conduct a continuation and bifurcation analysis utilizing AUTO 07P software package in order to obtain the frequency-amplitude response. The time responses show the movement of the center of the MEMS circular plate as a function of time. The frequency-amplitude response allows one to observe bifurcation and pull-in instabilities within the nonlinear system over a range of frequencies. The influences of parameters (i.e. damping and voltage) are also included in this investigation.