Pull-in time-energy product of electrostatic actuators: comparison of experiments with simulation

Measurements of voltage and current transients of a scaled model of an elec trostatic microactuator have been performed. Experiments were made at a var iety of values of the actuation source resistance, and the effects on the p ull-in time and on the energy consumed in a switching event were analysed. It is concluded that the pull-in time remains sensibly constant until sourc e resistance values are reached corresponding more closely to current-contr olled than to voltage-controlled actuation. Furthermore, the energy consume d per switching event monotonically decreases with increasing source resist ance. There is an optimum source resistance at which a minimum can be found for the product of pull-in time and energy in agreement with earlier theor etical predictions. The experimental results are quantitatively compared wi th Saber simulations incorporating an analog hardware description language model for the actuator. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.