Title: On the lateral instability analysis of MEMS comb-drive electrostatic transducers,
Abstract: This paper investigates the lateral pull-in effect of an in-plane
overlap-varying transducer. The instability is induced by the translational and
rotational displacements. Based on the principle of virtual work, the
equilibrium conditions of force and moment in lateral directions are derived.
The analytical solutions of the critical voltage, at which the pull-in
phenomenon occurs, are developed when considering only the translational
stiffness or only the rotational stiffness of the mechanical spring. The
critical voltage in general case is numerically determined by using nonlinear
optimization techniques, taking into account the combined effect of translation
and rotation. The effects of possible translational offsets and angular
deviations to the critical voltage are modeled and numerically analyzed. The
investigation is then the first time expanded to anti-phase operation mode and
Bennet's doubler configuration of the two transducers.