Parametric design of an electrostatic rotary microactuator using finite element analysis and metamodeling

Advanced design simulations for MEMS devices require considering physical interactions in multiple domains, including electrical and structural, and these complex relationships are often best represented using finite element analysis (FEA). Relying on FEA simulations in the design stages can be computationally prohibitive, especially when used in an iterative design process to perform uncertainty/sensitivity analysis, or design/optimization procedures. Using more efficient metamodels in the design procedure enables more analyses to be run in less time, and allows for different types of analyses to be performed. The benefits are reduced time in the overall design-cycle, and MEMS devices with improved reliability and performance through application of these tools. The work presented in this paper utilizes a flexible analysis platform for performing parametric sensitivity analysis and design of a MEMS electrostatic rotary actuator using metamodels based on more complex FEA models. The metamodel approach may be used to perform a variety of different analysis and design tasks, but the focus in this work is on sensitivity analysis and parametric design. The design is also performed assuming two different fabrication processes to demonstrate the flexibility of the model.