Stable Deflection in Ferroelectric Negative-Capacitance Hybrid MEMS Actuator With Cubic Nonlinear Spring

Electrostaticmicroelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS) actuators suffer from an instability called pull-in, wherein the movable electrode snaps onto fixed beyond a certain applied voltage. Thus, entire allowed range is not utilized for stable operation. We propose pull-in free, low-voltage operation by using cubic nonlinear spring with ferroelectric negative-capacitance hybrid MEMS actuator. use physics-based framework based on energy landscape to illustrate stability improvement. This uses energy–displacement and voltage–displacement plots analysis. predict that actuator can operate in three distinct modes: 1) monostable; 2) bistable; 3) always-stable, value of constant. also estimate threshold values constant demarcate modes By proper choice constant, we actuator, when compared standalone The results obtained are agreement numerical simulations. work will aid design electrostatic applications without instability.