A novel sensing mechanism for electrostatic MEMS that employs static bifurcation-based sensing and binary detection is demonstrated. It is implemented as an ethanol vapour sensor that exploits the static pull-in bifurcation. Sensor detection of 5 ppm of ethanol vapour in dry nitrogen, equivalent to a detectable mass of 165 pg, is experimentally demonstrated. Sensor robustness to external disturbances is also demonstrated. A closed-form expression for the sensitivity of statically detected electrostatic MEMS sensors is derived. It is shown that the sensitivity of static bifurcation-based binary electrostatic MEMS sensors represents an upper bound on the sensitivity of static detection for given sensor dimensions and material properties.
A novel electrostatic MEMS gas sensor is demonstrated. It employs a dynamic-bifurcation detection technique. The sensor detects ethanol vapor in a binary mode, reporting ON-state (1) for concentrations above a preset threshold and OFF-state (0) for concentrations below the threshold. The sensing mechanism exploits the qualitative difference between the sensor state before and after the dynamic pull-in bifurcation.
Experimental demonstration was carried out using a laser Doppler vibrometer to measure the sensor response before and after detection. The sensor was able to detect ethanol vapor concentrations as 100 ppb in dry nitrogen. A closed-form expression for the sensitivity of dynamic bifurcation sensors was derived. It captures the dependence of sensitivity on the sensor dimensions, material properties, and electrostatic field.
We develop dynamic actuation methods for capacitive MEMS shunt switches. We show that the dynamic actuation voltage is significantly less than the static actuation voltage and demonstrate 60% reduction in the actuation voltage. We also show that this reduction in the actuation voltage depends on the specific dynamic switching technique adopted. For a given operating condition, the minimum realizable switching time is that obtained using static switching. However, we developed a dynamic switching method that yields comparable switching time to that minimum. We also found that squeeze-film damping is the dominant damping mechanism for a shunt switch with a relatively slender bridge (aspect ratio of 11:1).
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