We report an actuation/detection scheme with a top-down nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) for frequency shift based sensing applications with outstanding performance. It relies on electrostatic actuation and piezoresistive nanowire gauges for in-plane motion transduction. The process fabrication is fully CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) compatible. The results show a very large ...

The static pull-in instability of beam-type microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is theoretically investigated. Two engineering cases including cantilever and double cantilever microbeam are considered. Considering the midplane stretching as the source of the nonlinearity in the beam behavior, a nonlinear size-dependent Euler-Bernoulli beam model is used based on a modified couple stress theor...

This paper describes the development of a micro media actuator (MMA) for probe-based mass data storage. The process is based on dry etching and incorporates a thinned silicon media sled to increase the frequency response of the system. The suspended micro-mechanical media sled moves in x-y (±50 μm) using electrostatic actuation. The system design specification requires actuation of an 8x8 mm ma...

This paper presents in-plane electrostatic comb-drive actuators with stroke as large as 245 μm that is achieved by employing a novel Clamped Paired Double Parallelogram (C-DPDP) flexure mechanism. For a given flexure beam length, comb gap, and actuation voltage, this is currently the largest comb-drive actuator stroke reported in the literature. The C-DP-DP flexure mechanism design offers high ...

Electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators are an example of a novel soft material device that can be used for several applications including artificial muscles and lenses. The field EAPs broken down into few fields; however, the will discussed in this study is Soft Electrohydraulic (SEH or EH) actuators. specifically studied Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing Electrostatic (HASEL) actuator. desig...

With their unparalleled mass sensitivity, enabling single-molecule spectrometry, nanomechanical resonators have the potential to considerably improve existing sensor technology. Vertical pillar are a promising alternative lateral resonator designs. However, one major obstacle still stands in way of practical use: The efficient transduction (actuation & detection) vibrational motion such...