Nonlinear vibration analysis of an electrostatically excited micro cantilever beam coated by viscoelastic layer with the aim of finding the modified configuration

Abstract

In this study, the vibration of an electrostatically actuated micro cantilever beam is analyzed in which a viscoelastic layer covers a portion of the micro beam length. This proposed model is considered as the main element of mass and pollutant micro sensors. The nonlinear motion equation is extracted by means of Hamilton principle, considering nonlinear shortening effect for Euler-Bernoulli beam. The non-linear effects of electrostatic excitation, geometry and inertia have been taken into account. The viscoelastic model is assumed as Kelvin-Voigt model. The motion equation is discretized by Galerkin approach. The linear free vibration mode shapes of non-uniform micro beam i.e. the linear mode shape of the system by considering the geometric and inertia effects of viscoelastic layer, have been employed as comparison function in the process of the motion equation discretization. The discretized equation of motion is solved by the use of multiple scale method of perturbation theory and the results are compared with the results of numerical Runge-Kutta approach. The frequency response variations for different lengths and thicknesses of the viscoelastic layer have been founded. The results indicate that if a constant volume of viscoelastic layer is to be deposited on the micro beam for mass or gas sensor applications, then a modified configuration may be found by using the analysis of this paper.