The growing interest in microsystems, and particularly in MEMS technology, has reasserted electromechanics as a key discipline. This book fills the need for a textbook that presents the fundamentals of electromechanics, classifies structures according to their functional capabilities, develops systematic modeling methods for the design of MEMS devices integrated into electronic systems, and provides practical examples derived from selected microdevice technologies. It is written for engineering students and physical science majors who want to learn about such systems. A further ambition is that the book will find its way slowly onto the shelves of practicing engineers involved in MEMS design and development.

Organization

The organization proceeds from basics to systems-oriented applications. The first three chapters focus on fundamentals of circuits and lumped parameter electromechanics. Chapter 1 provides some historical context, introducing key terminology and then offering a general description of electromechanical transducers based on power and energy considerations. Chapter 2 introduces the crucial concept of circuit-based modeling. Because the vast majority of MEMS devices are capacitive, this chapter focuses on circuits with capacitors and resistors. Chapter 3, drawing heavily on Part 1 of H. H. Woodson and J. R. Melcher's text, Electromechanical Dynamics, presents the classic, energy-based formulation for electromechanical interactions. The treatment here differs from their text by concentrating on capacitive microelectromechanical devices and introducing the geometries and dimensions characteristic of MEMS technology.