Electrothermal Frequency Modulated Resonator for Mechanical Memory
Type
ArticleKAUST Department
Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) DivisionMechanical Engineering Program
Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division
Date
2016-08-18Online Publication Date
2016-08-18Print Publication Date
2016-10Permanent link to this record
http://hdl.handle.net/10754/622541
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate a mechanical memory device based on the nonlinear dynamics of an electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical resonator utilizing an electrothermal frequency modulation scheme. The microstructure is deliberately fabricated as an in-plane shallow arch to achieve geometric quadratic nonlinearity. We exploit this inherent nonlinearity of the arch and drive it at resonance with minimal actuation voltage into the nonlinear regime, thereby creating softening behavior, hysteresis, and coexistence of states. The hysteretic frequency band is controlled by the electrothermal actuation voltage. Binary values are assigned to the two allowed dynamical states on the hysteretic response curve of the arch resonator with respect to the electrothermal actuation voltage. Set-and-reset operations of the memory states are performed by applying controlled dc pulses provided through the electrothermal actuation scheme, while the read-out operation is performed simultaneously by measuring the motional current through a capacitive detection technique. This novel memory device has the advantages of operating at low voltages and under room temperature. [2016-0043]Citation
Al Hafiz MA, Kosuru L, Younis MI (2016) Electrothermal Frequency Modulated Resonator for Mechanical Memory. Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems 25: 877–883. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2016.2598357.Additional Links
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7547384/ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1109/JMEMS.2016.2598357