Energy-based control for MEMS with one-sided actuation

Most electromechanical systems (including MEMS) are based on electromagnetic or electrostatic actuation forces. It is well known that, for a electrostatic parallel plate device with a linear spring, constant-voltage equilibria below one third of the nominal gap are stable; while at larger displacements the electrostatic force dominates, resulting in the electrodes pulling together. A nonlinear controller based on energy-control is presented that stabilizes all equilibria of an electrostatically controlled oscillator, while guaranteeing that contact (pull-in, snap-in) between the electrode and oscillating mass does not occur