Jump and pull-in dynamics of an electrically actuated bistable MEMS device

¹ Department of Civil and Building Engineering and Architecture, Polytechnic University of Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
² Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, 13902 NY, USA

Email: l.ruzziconi@univpm.it
Email: lenci@univpm.it
Email: mohammad.younis@kaust.edu.sa and myounis@binghamton.edu

Abstract

This study analyzes a theoretical bistable MEMS device, which exhibits a considerable versatility of behavior. After exploring the coexistence of attractors, we focus on each rest position, and investigate the final outcome, when the electrodynamic voltage is suddenly applied. Our aim is to describe the parameter range where each attractor may practically be observed under realistic conditions, when an electric load is suddenly applied. Since disturbances are inevitably encountered in experiments and practice, a dynamical integrity analysis is performed in order to take them into account. We build the integrity charts, which examine the practical vulnerability of each attractor. A small integrity enhances the sensitivity of the system to disturbances, leading in practice either to jump or to dynamic pull-in. Accordingly, the parameter range where the device, subjected to a suddenly applied load, can operate in safe conditions with a certain attractor is smaller, and sometimes considerably smaller, than in the theoretical predictions. While we refer to a particular case-study, the approach is very general.