Comparing the performance of direct and parametric drives for piezoelectric MEMS actuators

TL;DR

This paper compares direct and parametric drives in piezoelectric MEMS actuators, analyzing conditions for parametric advantage and providing guidelines for optimal operation based on analytical, experimental, and numerical results.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of degenerate parametric amplification in nonlinear piezoelectric MEMS and clarifies when parametric excitation is beneficial over direct drive.

Findings

Parametric advantage is not possible when considering total voltage constraints.

Scaling rules for optimal degenerate parametric amplification are established.

Experimental and numerical results confirm the analytical predictions.

Abstract

This work investigates and compares the response of piezoelectrically actuated nonlinear microelectromechanical devices (MEMS) to direct and to degenerate parametric drives. We describe the regime of degenerate parametric amplification in piezoelectric Duffing-type nonlinear MEMS devices using a single mode expansion, we then explore the existence of regions in parameter space where parametric excitation maybe advantageous compared to direct drive, which we label "parametric advantage". Analytical, experimental, and numerical verification demonstrates that parametric advantage can not exist if both pump and signal voltages are accounted for in the total voltage budget. This work determines non-dimensional scaling rules that can act as guidelines for selecting an optimal operating regime for degenerate parametric amplification.