Modeling and Simulation of RF MEMS resonator in a hierarchical approach

This paper discusses the modeling and simulation of RF microresonator using comb drive actuator and folded flexure beam in hierarchical methodology. Without models, one cannot simulate and evaluate the design. Modeling of electrostatic forces, mechanics, coupled electromechanics, and damping use commercial finite-element and boundary-element tools available to construct reduced-order behavioural models in a conventional approach. Parameterized models are needed for iterative design and reuse. Physical models with geometric and material-property parameters with adequate accuracy are available for a set of simple low-level elements (beams, comb drives, etc.). Design parameters are preserved if the higher-level components can be represented as an interconnected set of parameterized low-level elements. In our work we have designed RF microresonator (higher level component) using comb drive and folded flexure beam as subcomponents which in turn use lower level components such as beams, anchors and gap. Such a hierarchical approach simplified the construction of the model as an interconnection of various low level components. The mechanical simulations are carried out for displacement and frequency response using SUGAR 2.0 on MATLAB and C environment