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Electromechanical FEM models and electrostatic forces near sharp corners
Hannot, Stephan; Rixen, Daniel; Andreykiv, Andriy et al.
2009
 

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Keywords :
Finite Element Method; corner singularity; Electrostatic Forces
Abstract :
[en] Accounting for multiphysical coupling in models of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is essential for accurate simulations. One essential multiphysical effect in MEMS is the electromechanical coupling since electrostatic forces are often used for actuation or sensing in those devices. Often MEMS are designed such that their shape exhibits many corners. In this paper two different numerical approaches are used to model this coupling using the Finite Element Method: the electrostatic forces are either derived from the variational approach or a local approach based on the Maxwell stress tensor such as implemented in commercial Finite Element codes. The evaluation of electrostatic forces near corners is investigated in detail and in this paper the two approaches are compared around corners. Although the issue of numerical models around singularities is not new, the question addressed here is related to the computation of electric forces in the vicinity of corners. Since those forces are quadratic functions of the electric field, namely the gradient of the electric potential, here the primal unknown, computing those forces accurately is a challenge in itself. Elements which use special shape functions are used to discretize the field near this corner singularity as well. In the work presented here, it is shown that a significant discrepancy appears in the electrostatic force computed around a corner depending on the discretization approach considered, and we conclude that the variational approach or equivalently the full Maxwell tensor should be used to properly evaluate electrostatic forces around corners.
Disciplines :
Aerospace & aeronautics engineering
Author, co-author :
Hannot, Stephan;  Delft University of Technology > Precision and Microsystems Engineering > Engineering Dynamics
Rixen, Daniel;  Delft University of Technology > Precision and Microsystems Engineering > Engineering dynamics
Andreykiv, Andriy;  Delft University of Technology > Precision and Microsystems Engineering > Engineering Dynamics
Rochus, Véronique ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'aérospatiale et mécanique > LTAS - Vibrations et identification des structures
Language :
English
Title :
Electromechanical FEM models and electrostatic forces near sharp corners
Publication date :
2009
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
Available on ORBi :
since 23 September 2009

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