access icon free EM radiation from electrostatic nonlinear pull-in instability of MEMS

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 13/10/2017, Published 06/12/2017
Errata or comment

Electrodynamics theory tells that EM waves are generated from accelerated charged particles. Conventional radiators such as antennas are understood to emit waves because of the current's distribution and accumulation in the capacitor, where electrons are accelerated. In MEMS mechanisms, charges can be accelerated by the mechanical motion, which suggests that an MEMS structure can also be a radiator. The electrodynamics to theoretically analyse the EM wave radiation from MEMS is used. During the electrostatic nonlinear pull-in instability MEMS, where the electrostatic gap has become narrower than the 2/3 of the initial gap, the distributed charges are accelerated at a very high rate so as to generate significant power radiation in the form of EM waves. The MEMS's mechanical accelerations are analysed to calculate the transient radiations in both spatial and frequency domains.

Inspec keywords: electrostatic devices; electrodynamics; electromagnetic waves; micromechanical devices

Other keywords: electrodynamics theory; electrostatic gap; MEMS mechanisms; antennas; accelerated charged particles; EM wave radiation; distributed charges; frequency domains; current distribution; electrostatic nonlinear pull-in instability; mechanical motion; spatial domains; transient radiations; capacitor; power radiation; MEMS structure; MEMS mechanical accelerations

Subjects: MEMS and NEMS device technology; Electrostatic devices

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