Optimized design of electro-thermally driven microsystems considering non-linearity, response time reduction and functionally-graded materials

• Grant number: 09/18210-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2010
• End date: March 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Emílio Carlos Nelli Silva
• Grantee: Luis Augusto Motta Mello
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are essentially electrically driven mechanical devices ranging in size from a few micrometers to a few millimeters. The investments in research, the industrial applications and scientific interest on MEMS have growth substantially in Brazil as well as in the rest of the world in the last years. It has driven the development of new design and microfabrication techniques. However, although the fabrication is mature and sophisticated, there is a lack of accurate mathematical models and mainly systematic design methods. Therefore, many devices are still designed based on experience. This project deals with electro-thermo-mechanical (ETM) MEMS, which involves the Joule heating effect to produce the required mechanical operations. The main focus is the design of ETM MEMS through the Topology Optimization Method, considering effects not addressed so far in the literature: (i) material non-linearity related to the change of properties with temperature, and (ii) large response time (in this last case, the concept of Functionally-Graded Materials (FGM) will be considered). These two effects represent the main drawbacks of ETM MEMS. However, the work is not limited to the design and therefore computational simulation, fabrication and experimental performance characterization of the FGM MEMS will also be performed. This work is related to the research area of the supervisor and the Sensors and Actuators group of the School of Engineering of the University of São Paulo, which comprises the design of flextensional devices and ETM, electrostatic, and piezoelectric transducers. In addition, this work will be conducted in partnership with Professor Gláucio H. Paulino, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, and with Professor Evgueni Bordatchev, from the Industrial Materials Institute, National Research Council of Canada.

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

KIYONO, CESAR YUKISHIGUE; NAKASONE, PAULO HENRIQUE; YOO, JEONGHOON; MOTTA MELLO, LUIS AUGUSTO; NELLI SILVA, EMILIO CARLOS. On the optimization of HDD arms with piezoelectric actuation. FINITE ELEMENTS IN ANALYSIS AND DESIGN, v. 88, p. 118-127, OCT 1 2014. (09/18210-6, 11/02387-4)

MOTTA MELLO, LUIS AUGUSTO; KIYONO, CESAR YUKISHIGUE; NAKASONE, PAULO HENRIQUE; NELLI SILVA, EMILIO CARLOS. Design of quasi-static piezoelectric plate based transducers by using topology optimization. Smart Materials and Structures, v. 23, n. 2, FEB 2014. (11/02387-4, 09/18210-6, 12/14576-9)

MELLO, L. A. M.; TAKEZAWA, A.; SILVA, E. C. N.. Designing piezoresistive plate-based sensors with distribution of piezoresistive material using topology optimization. Smart Materials and Structures, v. 21, n. 8, AUG 2012. (11/02387-4, 09/18210-6)

MOTTA MELLO, LUIS AUGUSTO; SALAS, RUBEN ANDRES; NELLI SILVA, EMILIO CARLOS. On response time reduction of electrothermomechanical MEMS using topology optimization. COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING, v. 247, p. 93-102, 2012. (10/02263-0, 11/02387-4, 09/18210-6)