Nonlinear Dynamics of Coupled MEMS Oscillators

耦合 MEMS 振荡器的非线性动力学

• 批准号: 0600174
• 负责人: Alan Zehnder
• 金额: $ 23万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-07-15 至 2012-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0600174&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Nonlinear; Dynamics; Coupled; MEMS; Oscillators

AbstractUsing technologies adapted from the manufacture of integrated electronic circuits, scientists and engineers have in the last 20 years developed methods for fabricating microscopic electro-mechanical machines, known as MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) and NEMS (nano electromechanical systems). These devices, although too small to be seen by eye, ranging in size from 100 microns (about 1 tenth of a mm) to 100 nanometers (about 1 ten-thousandth of a mm), may contain many intricately shaped mechanical components, sensors and circuits. One particularly promising type of NEMS contains nanometer scale beams and plates (let's call them nanobeams). As Xylophone bars vibrate in response to percussion, nanobeams can vibrate in response to "input signals" which could be electrical or mechanical in nature. Due to their small size and low damping, nanobeams can behave differently than their large scale counterparts. For example, such beams are known to vibrate spontaneously (self-oscillate) when illuminated with DC (steady) laser light. These self-oscillations can be synchronized to a modulated (AC) laser or other external modulation. If many self-oscillating nanobeams were placed in an array and connected mechanically they could vibrate in different patterns depending on the input signal and the manner in which each nanobeam is connected to the others in the array. An array of such coupled oscillators could be used for sensing, signal processing and timing applications. The proposed research integrates experiments and theory to understand the function of the vibrating nanobeams and their arrays, to discover new phenomena and to find ways to minimize the power needed to drive the oscillators. We propose to develop simplified mathematical models practical for design purposes. Predictions of the simplified models will be compared to full models and to experiments. These models will be applied to study the dynamics of large systems of oscillators with the goal of obtaining insights into the design challenges for applications of oscillator arrays. Findings of the study will provide a pathway to the real-world application of arrays for signal processing and other applications. A hands-on oscillator module will be developed and used with middle school students and with middle or high school teachers.

摘要在过去的20年里，科学家和工程师们利用集成电子电路的制造技术，开发出了制造微型机电设备的方法，即微机电系统（MEMS）和纳米机电系统（NEMS）。这些设备虽然太小，肉眼看不见，但尺寸从100微米（约1 / 10毫米）到100纳米（约1 / 10毫米）不等，可能包含许多形状复杂的机械部件、传感器和电路。一种特别有前途的NEMS包含纳米尺度的光束和板（我们称之为纳米光束）。就像木琴杆会因敲击而振动一样，纳米梁也会因“输入信号”而振动，这些“输入信号”本质上可以是电的或机械的。由于它们的小尺寸和低阻尼，纳米梁的行为与它们的大尺度对应物不同。例如，当被直流（稳定）激光照射时，这种光束会自发振动（自振荡）。这些自振荡可以同步到调制（交流）激光或其他外部调制。如果将许多自振荡纳米束放置在一个阵列中并机械连接起来，它们就会根据输入信号和每个纳米束与阵列中其他纳米束连接的方式以不同的模式振动。这种耦合振荡器阵列可用于传感、信号处理和定时应用。该研究将实验和理论相结合，以了解振动纳米梁及其阵列的功能，发现新的现象，并找到最小化驱动振荡器所需功率的方法。我们建议开发简化的数学模型，用于设计目的。简化模型的预测结果将与完整模型和实验结果进行比较。这些模型将用于研究大型振荡器系统的动力学，目的是深入了解振荡器阵列应用的设计挑战。该研究的发现将为信号处理和其他应用的阵列的实际应用提供一条途径。一个动手振荡器模块将开发和使用中学生和初中或高中教师。