Collaborative Research: Improving Capabilities of Micro-scale Vibratory Systems by Embracing and Accounting for Large-Amplitude Responses

本项目考虑技术的发展，以协助设计和优化的微机电系统（MEMS），利用谐振振动。 这些微尺度器件是许多消费电子产品和产品（包括无线电话、汽车和娱乐设备）中的重要元件。这些系统的能力通常受到限制其操作范围的许多因素的限制，例如其最大振动幅度。 本研究旨在从根本上了解这些限制，并开发系统的工具来提高这些设备的性能。 这一项目的更广泛影响包括外联、辅导和培训、纳入代表性不足群体的学生、编写以研究为动机的课堂材料以及传播成果。 该项目将导致学生的多学科培训，他们将受益于PI的密切合作和综合理论和实验研究方法。 此外，PI和他们的研究生将继续他们长期参与的夏季外展计划，以初中和高中学生，并纳入本科研究助理。PI还计划为研究生创建一个校友指导计划，在该计划中，当前的研究生将与校友联系，他们将提供专业建议和支持。大多数采用振动MEMS的商业设备的设计都是为了使谐振元件在其线性范围内工作，设计人员可以依靠简单的模型来分析其响应。 然而，这对它们的工作范围设置了限制，不能充分利用它们的潜力。 最近的努力表明，当非线性效应系统地包括在MEMS设计过程中时，性能得到了显着改善。 这个项目的重点是拥抱谐振器的非线性行为，发展的理解伴随的限制，并开发和实验证明设计方法，允许一个优化性能在这一领域。 研究的重点是微机电系统，可以用一个或两个基本的振动模式，弱非线性模型描述，使分析方法，即微扰技术，和理论的正常形式，是适用的。 这些模型与多物理计算工具和优化技术相关联，使用标准形式来制定目标函数。 使用这些工具开发的设备将被制造、表征和测试，以验证该方法。 应用将包括频率产生、频率转换和惯性传感。

This project considers the development of techniques to assist in the design and optimization of micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) that utilize resonant vibrations. These micro-scale devices are important elements in many consumer electronics and products including wireless telephones, automobiles, and entertainment devices. The capabilities of these systems are often limited by a number of factors that restrict their range of operation, such as their maximum amplitude of vibration. This research pursues a fundamental understanding of these limitations and developing systematic tools for improving the performance of these devices. The broader impact of this project includes outreach, mentoring and training, inclusion of students from underrepresented groups, development of classroom materials motivated by the research, and dissemination of results. This project will result in multidisciplinary training of students, who benefit from the close collaboration and integrated theoretical and experimental research approach of the PIs. Also, the PIs and their graduate students will continue their longstanding participation in summer outreach programs to middle- and high-school students, and the inclusion of undergraduate research assistants. The PIs also plan to create an alumni mentoring program for graduate students, in which current graduate students will be connected with alumni who will offer professional advice and support.Most commercial devices that employ vibratory MEMS are designed so that the resonant elements operate in their linear range and the designer can rely on simple models to analyze their response. However, this sets limits on their operating range that do not take full advantage of their potential. There have been recent efforts demonstrating significantly improved performance when nonlinear effects are systematically included in the MEMS design process. The focus of this project is to embrace nonlinear behavior in resonators, to develop an understanding of the attendant limits, and to develop and experimentally demonstrate design methods that allow one to optimize performance in this realm. The research focus is on MEMS that operate with one or two fundamental vibratory modes that can be described by weakly nonlinear models so that analytical methods, namely perturbation techniques, and the theory of normal forms, are applicable. These models are linked with multi-physics computational tools and optimization techniques, using normal forms to formulate objective functions for the applications of interest. Devices developed with these tools will be fabricated, characterized, and tested to validate the approach. Applications will include frequency generation, frequency conversion, and inertial sensing.