Design and Testing of Micromachined Electrostatic Actuators

Cheo K.L
1
and Tay E.H, Francis
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Nat
1
ional University of Singapore


1. INTRODUCTION

Micro-Electro-Mechanical system (MEMs) is combination of silicon
microfabrication technology with a collection of chemical etching processes for
micromachining mechanical structures. Such processes promises batch fabrication of
microsensors which implies a reduction in cost and increase in production.
Miniaturization is another important aspect of employing MEMs devices.
Micromachined resonators have many applications. Current research includes
pressure sensors, resonant-type devices such as filters and oscillators. Variation to the
design adds microaccelerometers, microgyroscopes, gripping devices to the list of
possible implementation of MEMs.
In this report, a brief mechanical analysis leading to the development of the
fundamental frequency of vibration of a laterally-driven, folded-beam resonator will be
given. The focus however will be on the electrical driving and sensing of a resonator,
where an alternative method other than envelope detection will be discussed.

Schematic of a laterally-driven, folded beam resonator

2. MECHANICAL ANALYSIS

It is an important aspect to determine the natural frequency of vibration of a
MEMs structure. An effective means is to use what is known as Rayleighs energy
method. In the method, the maximum kinetic energy of the system is equated to the
maximum potential energy.
The potential energy of the system can be mainly attributed to the bending energy
stored in the beams

1
Student
2
Associate Professor
Trusses
Proof Mass
Beams

1
]
1

dx
dx
y d EI
U
b
2
2
2
2
(2.1)
y(x) is the deflection curve of the beam. From derivation or from many mechanics texts,
we know that it is

2
2 3
3
3
2
2
o
y
L
x
L
x
y

,
_

(2.2)
where y
o
is the maximum deflection of the proof mass of the resonator. By analyzing the
system, we can prove that the beams deflection is half that of the proof mass, hence
2
o
y
.
For eight beams in the structure,

,
_

,
_

3
2 2
3
max
24
2
1
8
3
2
1
L
EI
y y
L
EI
U
o o
(2.3)
The kinetic energy of the system can be considered separately for the proof mass,
trusses and the beams, all using

i
i i total
v m KE
2
2
1

The result which gives us
( )
2 2 2 2 2
max
35
83
2
1
35
13
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
w m y m y m y m y KE
bo o bi o t o p o 1
]
1

,
_

+
,
_

+
,
_

+ (2.4)
Thus solving for the natural frequency w gives us

b t p
m m m
L
EI
w
35
96
2
1
24
3
+ +
(2.5)

3. ELECTRICAL SENSING

Resonators that this report is discussing basically works on capacitive sensing.
Capacitive sensing works on the fact that a change in capacitance will result in the
generation of an electrical signal. Capacitance change can be due to variation of the gap
distance, the amount of overlap between the plates or even the change in permitivity of
the material.
Main problem in capacitive sensing is the ever presence of parasitic capacitance.
Thus, methods were developed that aims to overcome such problems, method such as
envelope detection (a form of amplitude modulation).
Another method is discussed here, which makes use of the manipulation of
sinusoidal functions in the response of the current output.
A diagram showing all the signals, inputs and parasitic capacitance is given
below,


The resulting output current is then given by
( )
t
C
v V
t
v
C
t
v
C i
c P
c
PC
i
PD o

+ +

(3.1)
with
( ) t w V v
i i i
cos
( ) t w V v
c c c
cos

Substituting everything back and expanding the equation to get all the terms in the output
current,
i
o
=
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )

'

+
+ + +

t w w V C
t w w V C w w
t w w V C w w
t w w V C
t w w V C
i i P m
i c c m i c
i c c m i c
c c c PC
i i i PD
cos
cos
2
1
cos
2
1
sin
sin
(3.2)
Looking at the first and last terms of the equation, both values are at the input
frequency, making it difficult to separate the parasitic from the motional current. But
terms with C
m
give us varying amplitudes related to the speed of vibration and thus the
resonance, and we will work with these alternative signals.
The initial spectrum plot of frequencies that we have is shown below.
AC
C
PD
Drive
probe

v
i
v
c
V
p
C
PC
Sense
probe

R
f
Output

_
+

Let us start by filtering away the signals at frequency w
i
through a bandpass filter.
A Gilbert cell allows us to multiply two sinusoidal signals together and tapping
out the output. By multiplying a cosine function Acos(w
c
t + ), where A is the amplitude
of the function, into i
o
and simplifying the terms,

i
o
=
( ) ( ) [ ]
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )

'

+
+ + + +
+
+
+ +

t w t w A V C w w
t w t w A V C w w
A w V C
t w A w V C
t w w t w w A V C
i C C m i c
i C C m i C
C C PC
C C C PC
i i i C C m
2 cos
4
1
2 cos
4
1
sin
2
1
2 sin
2
1
cos cos sin sin
2
1
(3.3)

The first term of the result can be rewritten as
[ ]

,
_

cos
sin
tan cos sin cos
2
1
1 2 2 2 2
i
C
i C i C m o
w
w
t w w w A V C i (3.4)
which is an output at the input frequency. The resulting spectrum is then

The phase modifier can be adjusted so that (3.4) is maximized. With w
c
very
much greater than w
i
, should be chosen such that the sine term is maximized and the
cosine term is minimized or eliminated. In this case, should be set to 90 phase.
By setting = 90, the third parasitic DC term will exist. There is then a need to
remove it.
Bandpass
Filter
i
o
i
PD
w
i
i
PC
i
LHS
i
RHS
w
c
-w
i
w
c
w
c
+w
i
w

2w
c
+w
i
i
o
Bandpass
Filter
w
i
w
c
2w
c
-w
i
w

Thus by sending i
o
to another bandpass filter to filter out the frequencies not at w
i
.
This
o
i will be used to determine resonance.
The complete diagram is shown below,

With this, we have covered the basic electrical aspect of resonators: the activation,
the sensing and the manipulation of the output that filters off unwanted interference.

4. CONCLUSION

Getting the natural frequency using Rayleighs energy method was demonstrated.
However, the derivations and detailed analysis of the mechanical aspects of the structure
that is needed for the application of the method is not presented here. Using similar
concepts, the method can be applied for other forms of structures, including pressure
sensors. Potential energy due to the tension in the beams are considered in addition to the
bending energy in this case.
The main focus of this report however is an alternative method to the envelope
detection to get the motional current that is needed to determine resonance. A Gilbert cell
that allows the multiplication of sinusoidal signals is essential to the method. By filtering
out certain signals and multiplying the rest by a sinusoidal signal at the carrier signal, we
achieve a frequency spectrum that distinct the motional capacitance from the stronger
parasitic capacitance. With an appropriate choice of a phase changer, we are able to
amplify the signal even more.
AC
BPF
DeMod
Drive
probe

Sense
probe

C
PD
R
f
_

+
v
i
v
c
V
P
C
PC

Output