Nonlinear Characterization of Electrostatic MEMS Resonators

Encapsulated micromechanical resonator technology is becoming important as a potential replacement for quartz for several applications. In this work we report the nonlinear characterization, particularly the A-f effect, in these resonators. The A-f effect in quartz has been well studied in the 1970's and 1980's (Gagnepain, 1981) and (Gagnepain, 1987), as it dictates the maximum power (current) that can be handled by the resonator. MEMS resonators tend to have a strong A-f effect compared to quartz, and this is the reason for the low power handling in these devices in comparison to quartz crystal resonators. In this work we report the mechanism of nonlinearities in these devices and find design guidelines to improve performance