Effect of noise on the pull-in dynamics of an electrostatic microswitch

Abstract

The goal of this research is to investigate the effects of noise on the pull-in dynamics of a micro-electromechanical switch. We take into account thermal noise and noise present in the voltage source. Thermal noise is modeled as white noise. First, we study its effect on the linear response of the system. Then, we study the uncertainty in pull-in time caused by thermal noise. We show that thermal noise does not have a significant effect on the pull-in dynamics. For noise in voltage we study the models of Johnson and flicker noise. We see that, as these noise sources are coupled with non-linear electrostatic force, they enhance the stability of the system and thus delay the occurrence of pull-in. We further see that this noise enhanced stability is aided by the damping forces.