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Virtual Component Qualification

Pecht M., Sandborn P., McCluskey F.P., University of Maryland, US

One of the most time consuming activities in new product development is associated with reliability assessment and qualification. This is defined as a process to verify whether the anticipated reliability is indeed achieved under actual [...]

Living in an Expanding TCAD Space

Borucki L.J., Motorola, Inc., US

A substantial number of important industrial modeling and simulation problems lie outside of the scope of commercial TCAD (Technology Computer-Aided Design) software.The tools needed to solve such problems include a good PDE (Partial Differential Equation) [...]

Fast Algorithms For 3-D Simulation

White J.K., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US

One difficulty associated with computer simulation of micromachined devices is that the devices are typically geometrically complicated and innately three-dimensional. For this reason, attempts to exploit existing finite-element based tools for micromachined device simulation has [...]

Simulation of Grating Light Valves

Furlani E., Eastman Kodak Co., US

The Grating Light Valve (GLV) is a microelectromechanical reflection phase grating that operates on the electrostatic deflection of microbeams. In this paper we discuss a method for simulating GLVs. This method entails the solution of [...]

Finite Element Analysis of MEMS Diaphragm Valves

Yang F., Kao I., SUNY-Stony Brook, US

Based on simple plate theory, the deflection of MEMS microvalve is studied analytically and numerically. The critical load to initially drive the microvalve is found to be proportional to the pre-deflection of microdiaphragm. The microdiaphragm [...]

Optimal Shape Design of Three-Dimensional MEMS with Applications to Electrostatic Comb Drives

Ye W., Mukherjee S., Cornell University, US

A methodology for solving inverse problems in Microelectromechanical (MEM) systems is proposed in this paper. Design of variable shape electrostatic comb drives (shape motors), in order to obtain desired force profiles, is presented as an [...]

Dynamic Effects of Linkage Joints in Electrostatic Microengines

Allen J.J., Miller S.L., LaVigne G.F., Rodgers M.S., Eaton W.P., Sandia National Laboratories, US

The electrostatic microengine is one of the major actuators used in MEMS applications. To ensure this MEMS actuator is operated in a fashion that will produce peak performance and long life, the system dynamics must [...]

On the Vibrations of a MEMS Gyroscope

Davis W.O., Pisano A.P., UC-Berkeley, US

In this paper, the dynamics of a dual-axis MEMS gyroscope are examined. The model for the device is based on a non-linear rod theory developed by A. E. Green, P. M. Naghdi and several co-workers. [...]

Micromachined Accelerometer Design, Modeling and Validation

Davies B.R., Bateman V.I., Brown F.A., Montague S., Murray J.R., Rey D., Smith J.H., Sandia National Laboratories, US

Micromachining technologies enable the development of low-cosr devices capable of sensing motion in a reliable and accurate manner. The development of various surface micromachined accelerometers and gyroscopes to sense motion is an ongoing activity at [...]

Modeling and Characterization of an Integrated FET Accelerometer

Kniffin M.L., Wiegele T.G., Masquelier M.P., Fu H., Whitfield J., Motorola, Inc., US

The GFET accelerometer is an integrated inertial sensor based on a movable-gate field effect transistor. The complexity of the transduction principle and the tight tolerances associated with its manufacture necessitated a large range of simulation [...]