A novel estimate for the line-to-ground capacitance that accurately predicts the pull-in instability parameters for narrow electrostatically actuated microbeams is proposed. Parameters in the proposed formula are obtained by least square fitting data from a fully converged numerical solution with the method of moments. For a narrow microbeam, it is shown that the new formula significantly impro...

We report on the characterization of nanometer-scale resonators. Each device incorporates one multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) as a torsional spring. The devices are actuated electrostatically, and their deflections, both low frequency and on resonance, are detected optically. These are some of the smallest electromechanical devices ever created and are a demonstration of practical integrated...

Microfabricated grippers could be useful for the manipulation of nanoscopic and microscopic samples. A survey is presented of the force requirements for a microgripper to complete pick-and-place nanomanipulation tasks. We then demonstrate in situ pick-and-place operations of nanowires inside a scanning electron microscope using microfabricated electrostatically actuated grippers, and compare th...

Thermoelastic damping (TED) in a circular micro-plate resonator subjected to an electrostatic pressure is studied. The coupled thermo-elastic equations of a capacitive circular micro plate are derived considering hyperbolic heat conduction model and solved by applying Galerkin discretization method. Applying complex-frequency approach to the coupled thermo-elastic equations, TED is obtained for...

Needs for model reduction in microsystem technology (MST) are described from an engineering perspective. The MST model reduction benchmarks are presented in order to facilitate further development in this area. The first benchmark application is electro-thermal simulation and the second one is an electrostatically actuated beam. Model reduction is contrasted with compact modeling, which current...