MEMS Design and Analysis Series

Design and Analysis of MEMS (ELEC-E8715), Aalto University · Finland · 2024/2025 · Academic project · Individual

A series of individual design studies at Aalto: cantilever dynamics validated against analytics, a comb-drive accelerometer model, piezoelectric actuation comparisons, and a Butterworth-van Dyke fit of a GHz resonator.

COMSOL
MEMS
Python
MATLAB
Resonators

Overview

Assignment-driven but substantial: each study pairs a COMSOL or Python model with analytical verification, covering the main MEMS transduction and dynamics topics.

Technical approach

Cantilever eigenfrequency studies (single-material and multilayer) cross-validated against analytical models
COMSOL model of a comb-drive accelerometer based on a published reference design
Piezoelectric actuation comparison across AlN, ScAlN, and PZT films
MATLAB Butterworth-van Dyke equivalent-circuit fit of a measured 2.2 GHz resonator response
Python analysis of measured capacitance-voltage data to extract pull-in behaviour

Results

Cantilever resonance within 0.8 percent of the analytical value (27.8 kHz simulated vs 27.6 kHz analytical); multilayer stiffness within 3 percent
Accelerometer model resonance at 23.7 kHz
BVD fit reproduced the measured 2.2 GHz resonance with quality factors and effective coupling extracted from the fit

Media

3D COMSOL plot of a cantilever deformation — COMSOL 3D study of a cantilever under edge load.

COMSOL comb-drive accelerometer geometry — Geometry of the comb-drive accelerometer model.

COMSOL eigenfrequency displacement plot — Eigenfrequency study of a suspended plate structure (displacement magnitude).

C-V curve with pull-in voltages annotated — Pull-in extraction from measured capacitance-voltage data (Python analysis).

Resonator admittance plot showing fs and fp — Series and parallel resonance of the 2.2 GHz resonator from the Butterworth-van Dyke fit.