Tuning the first instability window of a MEMS Meissner parametric resonator using a linear electrostatic anti-spring

We demonstrate frequency tuning of the first instability window of a MEMS Meissner parametric resonator. Our parametric resonator includes a transducer which provides a negative electrostatic stiffness that is not affected by motion. We therefore refer to this transducer as a linear anti-spring. We achieve parametric excitation by time-modulation of this negative electrostatic stiffness. Our design is rather robust to fabrication tolerances. In contrast, most state-of-the-art MEMS parametric resonators are either detrimentally affected by a nonlinear electrostatic stiffness, or are far more sensitive to fabrication tolerances.