Dynamic stability of electrostatic torsional actuators with van der Waals effect

The influence of van der Waals (vdW) force on the stability of electrostatic torsional nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS) actuators is analyzed in the paper. The dependence of the critical tilting angle and voltage is investigated on the sizes of structure with the consideration of vdW effects. The pull-in phenomenon without the electrostatic torque is studied, and a critical pull-in gap is derived. A dimensionless equation of motion is presented, and the qualitative analysis of it shows that the equilibrium points of the corresponding autonomous system include center points, stable focus points, and unstable saddle points. The Hopf bifurcation points and fork bifurcation points also exist in the system. The phase portraits connecting these equilibrium points exhibit periodic orbits, heteroclinic orbits, as well as homoclinic orbits.     

Bifurcation analysis of an electro-statically actuated micro-beam in the presence of centrifugal forces

In this paper, the influence of centrifugal forces on the stability of an electro-statically actuated clamped–clamped micro-beam has been investigated. The non-dimensional governing static and dynamic equations have been linearized using the step by step linearization method (SSLM), then, a Galerkin-based reduced order model has been used to solve the linearized equations. For constant value of a bias DC voltage and different values of angular velocity the equilibrium points of the corresponding autonomous system including stable center points, unstable saddle points and singular points have been obtained using the equivalent mass-spring model. Subsequently the bifurcation diagram has been depicted using the obtained fixed point. The static pull-in voltage value for different values of angular velocity and the static pull-in angular velocity for different values of bias voltage have been calculated. The obtained results are validated using results of previous studies and a good agreement has been observed. The effect of the centrifugal force on the fixed points has been studied using the phase portraits of the system for different initial conditions. Moreover, the effects of centrifugal forces on the dynamic pull-in behavior have been investigated using time histories and phase portraits for different angular velocities.     

Dynamic analysis and design of electrically actuated viscoelastic microbeams considering the scale effect

Viscoelastic phenomena widely exist in MEMS materials, which may have certain effects on quasi-static behaviors and transition mechanism of nonlinear jumping phenomena. The static and dynamic behaviors of a doubly clamped viscoelastic microbeam actuated by one sided electrode are investigated in detail, based on a modified couple stress theory. The governing equation of motion is introduced here, which is essentially nonlinear due to its midplane stretching effect and electrostatic force. Through quasi-static analysis, the equilibrium position, pull-in voltage and pull-in location of the system are obtained with differential quadrature method and finite element method. The equivalent geometric nonlinear parameter is presented to explain the influence of the scale effect on the pull-in location. Different from elastic material, there are two kinds of pull-in voltages called as instantaneous pull-in voltage and the durable pull-in voltage in viscoelastic system. Then, Galerkin discretization and the method of multiple scales are applied to determine the response and stability of the system for small vibration amplitude. A new perturbation method to deal with viscoelastic term is presented. Theoretical expressions about the parameter spaces of linear-like vibration, hardening-type vibration and softening-type vibration are then deduced. The influence of viscoelasticity and scale effect on nonlinear dynamic behavior is studied. Results show that the viscoelasticity can reduce the effective elastic modulus and make the system tend to softening-type vibration; the scale effect can increase effective elastic modulus and make the system tend to hardening-type vibration. And most of all, simulation results of case studies are used to realize parameter optimization. Then parameter conditions of linear-like vibration, which is desired for many applications, are obtained. In this paper, the results of multi-physical field coupling simulation are used to verify the theoretical analysis.     

Dynamic analysis of mathematical model of ethanol fermentation with gas stripping

In this paper, a mathematical model for ethanol fermentation with gas stripping is investigated. Firstly, the model with continuous substrate input is taken. We study the existence and local stability of two equilibrium points. According to Poincare–Bendixson Theorem, the sufficient condition for the globally asymptotical stability of positive equilibrium point is obtained, which implies that we can get stable ethanol product. Secondly, we study the model with impulsive substrate input and obtain the sufficient condition for the local stability of cell-free periodic solution by using the Floquet’s theory of impulsive differential equation and small-amplitude perturbation skills. In a certain limiting case, it is shown that a nontrivial periodic solution emerges via a supercritical (subcritical) bifurcation. Finally, our results are confirmed by means of numerical simulation.     

Effects of the van der Waals force,squeeze-film damping,and contact bounce on the dynamics of electrostatic microcantilevers before and after pull-in

The operational range of microcantilever beams under electrostatic force can be extended beyond pull-in in the presence of an intermediate dielectric layer. In this paper, a systematic method for deriving dynamic equation of microcantilevers under electrostatic force is presented. This model covers the behavior of the microcantilevers before and after the pull-in including the effects of van der Waals force, squeeze-film damping, and contact bounce. First, a polynomial approximate shape function with a time-dependent variable for each configuration is defined. Using Hamilton’s principle, dynamic equations of microcantilever in all configurations have been derived. Comparison between modeling results and previous experimental data that have been used for validation of the model shows a good agreement.     

The oscillatory behavior, static and dynamic analyses of a micro/nano gyroscope considering geometric nonlinearities and intermolecular forces

The nonlinear dynamic and static deflection of a micro/nano gyroscope under DC voltages and base rotation are investigated. The gyroscope undertakes two cou- pled bending motions along the drive and sense directions and subjected to electrostatic actuations and intermolecular forces. The nonlinear governing equations of motion for the system with the effect of electrostatic force, intermolecular tractions and base rotation are derived using extended Hamilton principle. Under constant voltage, the gyroscope finds the preformed shape. First, the deflection of the rnicro/nano gyroscope under electrostatic forces is obtained by static and dynamic analyses. Furthermore, the static and dynamic in- stability of the system are investigated. Afterward the oscillatory behavior of the pre-deformed micro/nano gyroscope around equilibrium is studied. The effects of intermolecular and nonlinear parameters on the static and dynamic de- flection, natural frequencies and instability of the micro/nano gyroscope are studied. The presented model can be used to exactly determine static and the dynamic behavior of vibratory micro/nano gyroscopes.     

Stability and torsional vibration analysis of a micro-shaft subjected to an electrostatic parametric excitation using variational iteration method

In this article stability and parametrically excited oscillations of a two stage micro-shaft located in a Newtonian fluid with arrayed electrostatic actuation system is investigated. The static stability of the system is studied and the fixed points of the micro-shaft are determined and the global stability of the fixed points is studied by plotting the micro-shaft phase diagrams for different initial conditions. Subsequently the governing equation of motion is linearized about static equilibrium situation using calculus of variation theory and discretized using the Galerkin’s method. Then the system is modeled as a single-degree-of-freedom model and a Mathieu type equation is obtained. The Variational Iteration Method (VIM) is used as an asymptotic analytical method to obtain approximate solutions for parametric equation and the stable and unstable regions are evaluated. The results show that using a parametric excitation with an appropriate frequency and amplitude the system can be stabilized in the vicinity of the pitch fork bifurcation point. The time history and phase diagrams of the system are plotted for certain values of initial conditions and parameter values. Asymptotic analytically obtained results are verified by using direct numerical integration method.     

Static and dynamic responses of a microcantilever with a T-shaped tip mass to an electrostatic actuation

In this study, nonlinear static and dynamic responses of a microcantilever with a T-shaped tip mass excited by electrostatic actuations are investigated. The electrostatic force is generated by applying an electric voltage between the horizontal part of T-shaped tip mass and an opposite electrode plate. The cantilever microbeam is modeled as an Euler–Bernoulli beam. The T-shaped tip mass is assumed to be a rigid body and the nonlinear effect of electrostatic force is considered. An equation of motion and its associated boundary conditions are derived by the aid of combining the Hamilton principle and Newton's method.An exact solution is obtained for static deflection and mode shape of vibration around the static position. The differential equation of nonlinear vibration around the static position is discretized using the Galerkin method. The system mode shapes are used as its related comparison functions. The discretized equations are solved by the perturbation theory in the neighborhood of primary and subharmonic resonances.In addition, effects of mass inertia, mass moment of inertia as well as rotation of the T-shaped mass, which were ignored in previous works, are considered in the analysis. It is shown that by increasing the length of the horizontal part of the T-shaped mass, the amount of static deflection increases,natural frequency decreases and nonlinear shift of the resonance frequency increases. It is concluded that attaching an electrode plate with a T-shaped configuration to the end of the cantilever microbeam results in a configuration with larger pull-in voltage and smaller nonlinear shift of the reso-nance frequency compared to the configuration in which the electrode plate is directly attached to it.     

HOVERING ORBITS DESIGN FOR PERTURBED ASTEROIDS WITH PARAMETRIC EXCITATION RESONANCE 1)

本文将太阳引力摄动视为受摄不规则小行星系统的组成部分,借鉴非线性振动理论中参数激励共振的概念,创新性地设计了不规则小行星平衡点附近稳定的悬停观测轨道.为了同时考虑不规则小行星引力和太阳引力, 本文采用受摄粒杆模型描述系统.通过对未扰系统平衡点以及固有频率的分析, 给出系统存在参激共振轨道的条件.再以第二类参激主共振和1:3内共振为例,采用多尺度方法求得参数激励共振轨道的稳态解, 并对稳态解的稳定性进行判断.通过受摄小行星系统的幅频响应曲线以及力频响应曲线分析了系统的非线性特性以及参数激励效应.此外, 对内共振引起的长短周期能量转移现象进行了分析.本文的研究成果可以拓展现有小行星系统周期轨道族设计方法.     

二维边坡稳定性分析的最小势能法新解

针对最小势能法研究的不足,通过条块虚位移方向的静力平衡方程确定滑面上剪应力的解析解,构建了一种新的剪切势能计算模型.同时,提出了一种多地层边坡稳定性分析方法.算例结果表明:剪切势能对边坡稳定性系数会产生影响,使得计算结果更为合理;运用文中方法计算得到边坡稳定性系数与极限平衡法的结果较为一致,表明文中的计算方法是可行且合理的;文中多地层边坡的计算模型,考虑了土层滑面长度以及法向力对边坡抗剪强度的贡献,且计算简便,易于工程人员使用.     

基于参激共振的受摄小行星悬停轨道设计方法

本文将太阳引力摄动视为受摄不规则小行星系统的组成部分,借鉴非线性振动理论中参数激励共振的概念,创新性地设计了不规则小行星平衡点附近稳定的悬停观测轨道.为了同时考虑不规则小行星引力和太阳引力, 本文采用受摄粒杆模型描述系统.通过对未扰系统平衡点以及固有频率的分析, 给出系统存在参激共振轨道的条件.再以第二类参激主共振和1:3内共振为例,采用多尺度方法求得参数激励共振轨道的稳态解, 并对稳态解的稳定性进行判断.通过受摄小行星系统的幅频响应曲线以及力频响应曲线分析了系统的非线性特性以及参数激励效应.此外, 对内共振引起的长短周期能量转移现象进行了分析.本文的研究成果可以拓展现有小行星系统周期轨道族设计方法.      

一种微机电非线性耦合系统奇点稳定性研究

工程中许多微机电系统都采用电容驱动原理，这类结构实际上存在着强烈的静电和机械两个物理场的非线性耦合，因此系统的动态特性比较复杂。本文基于一种扭转微镜系统，通过数值分析方法，研究其非线性动态特性，根据理论分析和数值计算证明该系统在相平面中存在两个奇点，一个是稳定中心，一个是鞍点，且两个奇点位置均随施加电压的变化而逐渐靠近，从而得出系统的静态分叉点；同时分析了有阻尼和无阻尼时电压的变化对相轨道的影响，以及阻尼对吸合电压的影响，吸合电压随阻尼的增大而提高，这些研究结果不仅对扭转微镜的设计和应用提供了理论和方法，而且对用电容驱动的微机电系统的设计亦有参考价值。     

Pull-in analysis of electrically actuated viscoelastic microbeams based on a modified couple stress theory

A new beam model is developed for the viscoelastic microbeam based on a modified couple stress model which contains only one material length scale parameter. The governing equations of equilibrium together with initial conditions and boundary conditions are obtained by a combination of the basic equations of modified couple stress theory and Hamilton’s principle. This new beam model is then used for an electrically actuated microbeam-based MEMS structure. The dynamic and quasi-static governing equations of an electrically actuated viscoelastic microbeam are firstly given where the axial force created by the midplane stretching effect is also considered. Galerkin method is used to solve above equation and this method is also validated by the finite element method (FEM) when our model is reduced into an elastic case. The numerical results show that the instantaneous pull-in voltage, durable pull-in voltage and pull-in delay time predicted by this newly developed model is larger (longer) than that predicted by the classical beam model. A comparison between the quasi-static model results and the dynamic model results is also given.     

Dynamic stability of electrostatically actuated initially curved shallow micro beams

Micro and nano devices incorporating bistable structural elements have functional advantages including the existence of several stable configurations at the same actuation force, extended working range, and tunable resonant frequencies. In this work, after a short review of operational principles of bistable micro devices, results of a theoretical and numerical investigation of the transient dynamics of an initially curved, shallow, double-clamped micro beam, actuated by distributed electrostatic and inertial forces are presented. Due to the unique combination of mechanical and electrostatic nonlinearities, typically not encountered in large scale structures, the device exhibits sequential snap-through and electrostatic (pull-in) instabilities. A phase plane analysis, performed using a consistently derived lumped model along with the numerical results, indicate that critical voltages corresponding to the dynamic snap-through and pull-in instabilities are lower than their static counterparts, while the minimal curvature required for the appearance of the dynamic snap-through is higher than in the static case. The boundaries of the bistability region of a quasi-statically loaded beam are found in terms of the geometrical and loading parameters and are shown to be bounded from above by the dynamic pull-in instability. Some of the post-buckling states cannot be reached under suddenly applied or quasi-statically increasing voltages: specially tailored loading schemes are suggested for realization of these configurations often beneficial in applications.     

Non-linear dynamic instability of a double-sided nano-bridge considering centrifugal force and rarefied gas flow

Double-sided electromechanical nano-bridges can potentially be used as angular speed sensors and accelerometers in rotary systems such as turbine blades and vacuum pumps. In such applications, the influences of the centrifugal force and rarefied flow should be considered in the analysis. In the present study, the non-linear dynamic pull-in instability of a double-sided nano-bridge is investigated incorporating the effects of angular velocity and rarefied gas damping. The non-linear governing equation of the nanostructure is derived using Euler-beam model and Hamilton׳s principle including the dispersion forces. The strain gradient elasticity theory is used for modeling the size-dependent behavior of the system. The reduced order method is also implemented to discretize and solve the partial differential equation of motion. The influences of damping, centrifugal force, length scale parameters, van der Waals force and Casimir attraction on the dynamic pull-in voltage are studied. It is found that the dispersion and centrifugal forces decrease the pull-in voltage of a nano-bridge. Dynamic response of the nano-bridge is investigated by plotting time history and phase portrait of the system. The validity of the proposed method is confirmed by comparing the results from the present study with the experimental and numerical results reported in the literature.     

An iterative method for the computation of the response of linearised Navier–Stokes equations to harmonic forcing and application to forced cylinder wakes

The central aim of this paper is the development and application of an efficient, iterative methodology for the computation of the perturbation fields induced by harmonic forcing of the linearised Navier–Stokes equations. The problem is formulated directly in the frequency domain, and the resulting system of equations is solved iteratively until convergence. The method is easily implemented to any implicit code that can solve iteratively the steady‐state Navier–Stokes equations. In this paper, it is applied to investigate the flow around a static cylinder with pulsating approaching flow and a cylinder undergoing forced stream‐wise oscillations. All terms of the perturbation kinetic energy equation are computed, and it is shown that perturbations grow by extracting energy from two sources: the underlying base flow field and the externally provided energy that maintains the imposed oscillation. The periodic drag force acting on the cylinder is also computed, and it is demonstrated that Morrison's equation is a simple model that can estimate with good accuracy the amplitude and phase of this force with respect to the approaching flow. The perturbation fields induced by periodic inlet flow (static cylinder) and forced stream‐wise cylinder oscillation are closely related: the velocity fields are identical in the appropriate reference frames, and a simple expression is derived, which links the pressures in the two flow cases. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reduced-order models for microelectromechanical rectangular and circular plates incorporating the Casimir force

We consider the von Kármán nonlinearity and the Casimir force to develop reduced-order models for prestressed clamped rectangular and circular electrostatically actuated microplates. Reduced-order models are derived by taking flexural vibration mode shapes as basis functions for the transverse displacement. The in-plane displacement vector is decomposed as the sum of displacements for irrotational and isochoric waves in a two-dimensional medium. Each of these two displacement vector fields satisfies an eigenvalue problem analogous to that of transverse vibrations of a linear elastic membrane. Basis functions for the transverse and the in-plane displacements are related by using the nonlinear equation governing the plate in-plane motion. The reduced-order model is derived from the equation yielding the transverse deflection of a point. For static deformations of a plate, the pull-in parameters are found by using the displacement iteration pull-in extraction method. Reduced-order models are also used to study linear vibrations about a predeformed configuration. It is found that 9 basis functions for a rectangular plate give a converged solution, while 3 basis functions give pull-in parameters with an error of at most 4%. For a circular plate, 3 basis functions give a converged solution while the pull-in parameters computed with 2 basis functions have an error of at most 3%. The value of the Casimir force at the onset of pull-in instability is used to compute device size that can be safely fabricated.     

Dynamic behavior analysis of cantilever-type nano-mechanical electrostatic actuator

An investigation is performed into the nonlinear pull-in behavior of a cantilever-type nano-mechanical electrostatic actuator. In performing the analysis, the actuator is modeled as an Euler–Bernoulli beam and the influence of surface effects, the fringing field effect and the Casimir force effect are taken into explicit account. In general, analyzing the dynamic behavior of nanoscale electrostatic devices is challenging due to the nonlinear coupling of the electrostatic force and Casimir force. In the present study, this problem is resolved by using a hybrid computational scheme comprising the differential transformation method and the finite difference approximation technique. The feasibility of the proposed approach is demonstrated by the two cantilever-type micro-beams when actuated by a DC voltage. The numerical results show that the present results for the pull-in voltage deviate by no more than 1.47% from those presented in the literature using a different scheme. In addition, it is shown that surface effects play a significant role in determining the static deflection and pull-in voltage of the cantilever beam nano-beam. In general, the results confirm that the hybrid differential transformation/finite difference approximation method provides an accurate and computationally efficient means of simulating the nonlinear electrostatic behavior of nanostructure systems.     

On the adjacent equilibrium method in the stability theory of conservative elastic continua

The relationship of the adjacent equilibrium method, the regular perturbation method and the energy method for neutral equilibrium is studied. It is shown that unlike the adjacent equilibrium method, the regular perturbation method yields, for the problems under consideration, non-homogeneous perturbation equations and that adjacent states of equilibrium do not exist at the bifurcation point. These results are then compared with the result of the energy criterion for neutral equilibrium V₂[u] = 0. It is found that although the physical arguments are different in the three methods, the resulting stability equations are identical; thus showing why the adjacent equilibrium argument, even for cases when it is incorrect, yields correct critical loads. This is followed by a discussion of an incorrect derivation of a stability condition and a notion about a load type introduced in the stability literature, which are consequences of the assumption of the general existence of adjacent equilibrium states at bifurcation points.     

考虑卡西米尔力的静电激励NEMS吸合特性及其尺寸效应研究

基于应变梯度理论和哈密顿原理,并考虑卡西米尔力的影响,建立了静电激励纳米机电系统(NEMS)的尺寸效应模型,并得到模型的控制方程和边界条件。然后,引入广义微分求积法和拟弧长算法,得到模型的数值解。结果表明,当考虑卡西米尔力的影响时,系统两极的吸合电压有所减小。并且,当系统尺寸达到一个临界值时(即两电极间距小于“最小间距”,或可变形电极长度超过“拉起长度”),系统会在没有外加电压的作用下自动发生吸合,这将为NEMS的优化设计和定量分析提供理论基础。