-In this paper, piezoelectric actuation is compared with electrostatic actuation for application in RF-MEMS switches with respect to actuation voltage and technological implementation. The expression for the actuation voltages of electrostatic and piezoelectric actuation are discussed and compared with respect to scaling. Calculation examples show actuation voltages for a cantilever beam of 1μm...

Related Articles Pressure and electric field effects on piezoelectric responses of KNbO3 J. Appl. Phys. 112, 064106 (2012) Structure and properties of La-modified Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 at ambient and elevated temperatures J. Appl. Phys. 112, 054111 (2012) Modeling of dielectric and piezoelectric response of 1-3 type piezocomposites J. Appl. Phys. 112, 044107 (2012) Remarkably high-temperature stable p...

Piezoelectric loudspeaker is characterized by its very simple constructions, but their radiation performance at low frequency region is poor because their conventional diaphragm is too stiff for large amplitude vibration. This paper proposes three innovative methods for improvement of low frequency radiation performance of piezoelectric direct-radiator loudspeakers by new constructions and mate...

In this paper, an algorithm for the coupled simulation of circuit and piezoelectric laminate devices is presented. A finite element solver for piezoelectric laminates is included in the SPICE framework as a capacitor. The charge of this capacitor is a function of both the terminal voltage and the mechanical strain in the piezoelectric material. The coupled simulator allows simulation of novel m...

Energy harvesting from surrounding environment has been attractive for many researchers in recent years. Therefore, developing appropriate test apparatus to study energy harvesting mechanisms and their performance is of paramount importance. Due to their electromechanical characteristics, piezoelectric materials are used for harvesting energy from environmental vibrations. For optimum utili...

Energy harvesting from surrounding environment has been attractive for many researchers in recent years. Therefore, developing appropriate test apparatus to study energy harvesting mechanisms and their performance is of paramount importance. Due to their electromechanical characteristics, piezoelectric materials are used for harvesting energy from environmental vibrations. For optimum utili...

Using the general theory developed by the author in the previous paper, the problems of thermophoresis and diffusio-phoresis have been examined with a view to elucidating the effect of a general gas-surface scattering law on the associated forces. It is found that, in thermo-phoresis, there exists a close coupling between the first anisotropic moment of the gas-surface scattering law and the so...

A model for the simulation of gas flow in clayey rocks and clays is described. Gas migration is associated with the development of preferential paths along existing or pressure-dependent discontinuities. The model handles the combined phenomena of two-phase (air and liquid) flow and the generation of discrete paths. Aperture of discrete paths is the main variable to account for permeability and...

The Neogene eolian deposits in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) are one of the most useful continental deposits for understanding climatic changes. To decipher Late Neogene paleoclimatic changes in the CLP, we present a terrestrial mollusk record spanning the time interval between 7.1 and 3.5 Ma from the western CLP. The results indicate four stages of paleoclimatic evolution: From 7.1 to 6.2 Ma...

Mitochondria generate most of the heat in endotherms. Given some impedance of heat transfer across protein-rich bioenergetic membranes, mitochondria must operate at a higher temperature than body temperature in mammals and birds. But exactly how much hotter has been controversial, with physical calculations suggesting that maximal heat gradients across cells could not be greater than 10-5 K. Us...