Viscous energy dissipation in laterally oscillating planar microstructures: a theoretical and experimental study
- 30 December 2002
- conference paper
- Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Abstract
The authors investigate energy loss in an incompressible, viscous fluid layer that provides skin-friction damping for a laterally oscillating planar microstructure. The physical model for the viscous dissipation is based on Stokes-type fluid motion. In the theoretical analysis, the damping property of a fluid layer is characterized in terms of viscous energy dissipation, resulting in damping formulas for practical Q estimation. In the experimental study, surface-micromachined polysilicon resonators have been fabricated and tested under an electrostatic excitation in atmosphere. The estimated Q compares well with the Q measured for the test structures, as well as with the experimental Q reported by previous investigators. It is concluded that the Stokes-type damping model presents a more general damping treatment with better Q estimation, although discrepancies of 10 to 20% still remain between the estimated and measured Q. Possible sources of these discrepancies are discussed. The results of the study are applicable to damping design for microsensors and microactuators.Keywords
This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
- Advances in processing techniques for silicon micromechanical devices with smooth surfacesPublished by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ,2003
- Resonant-structure micromotorsPublished by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ,2003
- Laterally driven polysilicon resonant microstructuresPublished by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ,2003
- Electrostatic-comb drive of lateral polysilicon resonatorsSensors and Actuators A: Physical, 1990
- Surface micromachining for microsensors and microactuatorsJournal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, 1988
- Resonator sensors-a reviewJournal of Physics E: Scientific Instruments, 1985