Parallel-plate electrostatic dual-mass oscillator

A surface-micromachined two-degree-of-freedom system that was driven by parallel-plate actuation at antiresonance was demonstrated. The system consisted of an absorbing mass connected by folded springs to a drive mass. The system demonstrated substantial motion amplification at antiresonance. The absorber mass amplitudes were 0.8 - 0.85 mu m at atmospheric pressure while the drive mass amplitudes were below 0.1 mu m. Larger absorber mass amplitudes were not possible because of spring softening in the drive mass springs. Simple theory of the dual-mass oscillator has indicated that the absorber mass may be insensitive to limited variations in strain and damping. This needs experimental verification. Resonant and antiresonant frequencies were measured and compared to the designed values. Resonant frequency measurements were difficult to compare to the design calculations because of time-varying spring softening terms that were caused by the drive configuration. Antiresonant frequency measurements were close to the design value of 5.1 kHz. The antiresonant frequency was not dependent on spring softening. The measured absorber mass displacement at antiresonance was compared to computer simulated results. The measured value was significantly greater, possibly due to neglecting fringe fields in the force expression used in the simulation.