Complete Characterization of Electrostatically-Actuated Beams including Effects of Multiple Discontinuities and Buckling

The entire process of calibrating an electromechanical simulator – identifying relevant parameters, designing and measuring test structures, extracting parameters using detailed electromechanical simulations, and extrapolating the behavior of an actual device – is presented. The simulation model for electrostatically-actuated beams is calibrated to a wide range of electrical and optical test structure measurements and is then used to predict the behavior of more complex dual-biaselectrode structures. Various mechanical discontinuities, and post-buckled pull-in behavior are addressed explicitly. Arbitrary fitting coefficients that limit generality are avoided. The well-characterized behavior of the dual-electrode structures can serve as verification test cases for evaluating coupled electromechanical simulators.