Nathan Wilson

nwilson@gloworm.stanford.edu

Computational Prototyping and Simulation Based Design of MEMS Devices

Abstract:

There are important multi-physics interactions and numerical requirements that need to be addressed in dynamic response simulation of MEMS systems. A methodology has been devised (to be completed in stages) that addresses these challenges in realizing a complete electromechanical solver. Six steps have been identified:

  1. a more versatile framework is needed to demonstrate and test the requirements to solve the coupled system.
  2. improved solid modeling and automatic mesh generation tools are needed to simplify the model creation process.
  3. different grid adaption schemes need to be tested, especially in support of transient simulations.
  4. the software needs to be extended to address problems of coupled electrostatic-elastodynamic analysis.
  5. realistic process flow and materials parameter information needs to be integrated.
  6. the correlation of this information with actual dynamic MEMS behavior needs to be achieve.

Progress:

ProPHLEX by COMCO is currently being used as a protopying vechicle. The ability to solve a coupled elastostatic-electrostatic system has been demonstrate using a simply staggering scheme referred to as "relaxation" inside of the ProPHLEX framework that permits hp-adaptivity using gradient based error predictors.

Publications & Presentations this Quarter: None.

Trips: None.