Electrostatic comb-drive—the

prime mover for MEMS today

Folded-beam suspension Moving

Misaligned
combs
parallel-plate
capacitor

Shuttle anchor
mass

Fixed
combs
W. C. Tang, T.-C. H. Nguyen, M. W. Judy and R. T. Howe, “Electrostatic-comb drive of lateral polysilicon
resonators,” Sensors and Actuators, Vol. A 21-23, pp. 328 – 381, 1990.
Computing the electrostatic force
in the parallel-plate capacitor
 0 = permittivity of free space
w V = applied voltage
g
l C = capacitance
1 1  0 ( wl ) 2
Ee = CV = 2
V Electrostatic energy
2 2 g
E 1  0w 2 Force in the length direction
Fl = e = V
l 2 g
Ee 1  0l 2 Force in the width direction
Fw = = V
w 2 g
Ee 1  0 wl 2 1 0 A 2 Force in the gap
Fg = =− V = − V
g 2 g2 2 g2 direction
Computing the electrostatic force
in general 3-D problems

Conductor 1
Conductor 2
2 = V2
1 = V1

Electric potential = 
Charge density = charge per unit area
Electric field = 
1  2nˆ Surface normal
Electrostatic force = Fe =
2  Dieletric constant of
the intervening medium
It is a surface force (traction).
Computing the electrostatic force
(contd.)
Governing equations to solve for the charge density in
the differential equation form:
 2 = −4 On the conductors
 2 = 0 In the intervening medium
Plus, potentials on the conductors are specified.
This is suited for FEM but sufficient intervening medium also
needs to be meshed along with the interior of the conductors.
Governing equations to solve for the charge density in
the integral equation form:
 ( x)
 ( x) =  dS '
Surfaces x − x '

This is suited for BEM because only conductor boundaries need

to be meshed.
Static equilibrium of an elastic
structure under electrostatic force
-
Charge distribution
- -- - causes electrostatic
- - force of attraction
+ + + - -- -
+ between conductors
+ +++ - -
+ ++ - - -
++ -
--
++ - Electrostatic force
+ deforms conductors
+ + ++

V
Deformation of
conductors causes
1  2nˆ charges to re-
Electrostatic force = Fe = distribute
2 0
Coupled governing equations of
electro- and elasto- statics
 ( x)
 ( x) =  dS ' for s of all conductors
Surfaces x − x'

1  2nˆ
f te =
2 0
  σ = 0 everywhere in 
σnˆ = f te on 
u = u 0 on  u
σ = E:ε
A self-consistent
ε = (u + uT )
1
solution is needed!
2
Start with 1-dof lumped model…

A = plate area
 0 = permittivity of free space
k
Static equilibrium
1 0 A
1 0 A
2
V
2 ( g 0 − x )2 kx = 2
kx V
2 (g 0 − x )2
x
g0
A cubic equation!
Lumped 1-dof modeling of coupled
electro- and elasto- static behavior
g0
1 0 A 2
V 1 0 A
2 ( g 0 − x )2 kx =
Forces

2
V
kx 2 (g 0 − x )2
Three solutions
x
Unstable

 ( PE)
Stable
Stable

=0
Potential energy
Potential energy

x
1 2 1 0 A
PE = kx − V2
x 2 2 (g 0 − x )
Two stable; one unstable; And, one infeasible
 2 ( PE)  0 AV 2 to test stability.
Use =k−
x 2
( g 0 − x) 3
Pull-in phenomenon
Condition for critical stability

V1 < V2 < V3
 2 ( PE)  0 AV 2 k ( g − x ) 3
= k − = 0  V 2
= 0

g0 / 3 g0 x 2 ( g 0 − x)3 0 A
1 0 A k ( g 0 − x) g0
Potential energy

kx = V = 2
x=
2 (g 0 − x )2
2 3

x
8 k g 30
Vpullin =
27  0 A

x
2 g0 / 3 V
pull
Vpull
in
in
With a dielectric layer: pull-up and
hysteresis
3
8k  td 
Vpull in = 
 g 0 + 
27 0 A  r 
Dielectric layer
2
2k  td 
Vpull up = g 0  
x g0 0 A  r 
td
x
g0
Pull-up voltage is found by
equating the forces of spring
and electrostatics at x = g 0 .
Gilbert, J. R., Ananthasuresh, G. K., and Senturia,
S. D., “3-D Modeling and Simulation of Contact
Problems and Hysteresis in Coupled
Electromechanics,” presented at the IEEE-MEMS-
96 Workshop, San Diego, CA, Feb. 11-15, 1996.
Vpull up Vpullin V
Distributed modeling of the
electrostatically actuated beam
Finite element method Finite difference method

+++++++++ FEM or FDM could be used to

solve the nonlinear equation:
V
d 4u  0 wV 2
EI 4 − =0
dx 2( g 0 − u ) 2

+
+ + +++ + +
+ Include the effects of
V residual stress as well:
d 4u d 2u  0 wV 2
EI 4 −  0 wt 2 − =0
dx dx 2( g 0 − u ) 2

A correction due to fringing field (edge and corner effects) is also included.