Created in COMSOL Multiphysics 6.

Frequency Response of a Biased Resonator — 2D

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Introduction
Silicon micromechanical resonators have long been used for designing sensors and are now
becoming increasingly important as oscillators in the consumer electronics market. In this
sequence of models, a surface micromachined MEMS resonator, designed as part of a
micromechanical filter, is analyzed in detail. The resonator is based on that developed in
Ref. 1.

This model performs a frequency-domain analysis of the structure, which is also biased
with its operating DC offset. The analysis begins from the stationary analysis performed in
the accompanying model Stationary Analysis of a Biased Resonator — 2D; please review
this model first.

Model Definition
The geometry, fabrication, and operation of the device are discussed for the Stationary
Analysis of a Biased Resonator — 2D model.

For the frequency-domain analysis of the structure, consider an applied drive voltage
consisting of a 35 V DC offset with a 100 mV drive signal added as a harmonic
perturbation. Solve the linearized problem to compute the response of the system.

DAMPING
To obtain the response of the system, you need to add damping to the model. For this
study, assume that the damping mechanism is Rayleigh damping or material damping.

To specify the damping, two material constants are required (αdM and βdK). For a system
with a single degree of freedom (a mass-spring-damper system) the equation of motion
with viscous damping is given by

2
d u du
m ---------2- + c ------- + ku = f ( t )
dt dt

where c is the damping coefficient, m is the mass, k is the spring constant, u is the
displacement, t is the time, and f(t) is a driving force.

In the Rayleigh damping model, the parameter c is related to the mass, m, and the stiffness,
k, by the equation:

c = α dM m + β dK k

2 | FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF A BIASED RESONATOR — 2D

The Rayleigh damping term in COMSOL Multiphysics is proportional to the mass and
stiffness matrices and is added to the static weak term.

The damping coefficient, c, is frequently defined as a damping ratio or factor, expressed as

a fraction of the critical damping, c0, for the system such that

c
ξ = -----
c0

where for a system with one degree of freedom

c 0 = 2 km

Finally note that for large values of the quality factor, Q,

1
ξ ≅ --------
2Q

The material parameters αdM and βdK are usually not available in the literature. Often the
damping ratio is available, typically expressed as a percentage of the critical damping. It is
possible to transform damping factors to Rayleigh damping parameters. The damping
factor, ξ, for a specified pair of Rayleigh parameters, αdM and βdK, at the frequency, f, is

1 α dM
ξ = ---  ----------- + β dK 2πf
2  2πf 

Using this relationship at two frequencies, f1 and f2, with different damping factors, ξ1 and
ξ2, results in an equation system that can be solved for αdM and βdK:

1-
----------- πf
4πf 1 1 α dM ξ1
=
1 β dK ξ2
------------ πf 2
4πf 2

The damping factors for this model are provided as αdM = 4189 Hz and βdK =
8.29·10−13 s, consistent with the observed Quality factor of 8000 for the fundamental
mode.

Results and Discussion

Figure 1 shows the frequency response of the resonator. A clear anti-resonance structure
for the frequency response is observable. This response can be compared to that shown in

3 | FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF A BIASED RESONATOR — 2D

Figure 15 (a) in Ref. 1. Although the experimental results are from a pair of coupled
resonators in this instance, the two resonances are sufficiently separate in frequency space
that it is possible to distinguish the two modes. If the details of the external circuits were
available, a terminal boundary condition with an attached circuit could be used to
compute the electrical response of the system for a more direct comparison with the
experimental results

Figure 1: Frequency response of the fundamental mode of the resonator.

Reference
1. F.D. Bannon III, J.R. Clark and C.T.-C. Nguyen, “High-Q HF
Microelectromechanical Filters,” IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, vol. 35, no. 4, pp.
512–526, 2000.

Application Library path: MEMS_Module/Actuators/biased_resonator_2d_freq

4 | FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF A BIASED RESONATOR — 2D

Modeling Instructions
Start from the existing stationary model.

APPLICATION LIBRARIES
1 From the File menu, choose Application Libraries.
2 In the Application Libraries window, select MEMS Module>Actuators>
biased_resonator_2d_basic in the tree.
3 Click Open.
Create parameters for the material damping factors.

GLOBAL DEFINITIONS

Parameters 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Global Definitions click Parameters 1.
2 In the Settings window for Parameters, locate the Parameters section.
3 In the table, enter the following settings:

Name Expression Value Description

alpha 4189[Hz] 4189 Hz Damping parameter - alpha
beta 8.29e-13[s] 8.29E-13 s Damping parameter - beta

COMPONENT 1 (COMP1)
In the Model Builder window, expand the Component 1 (comp1) node.

SOLID MECHANICS (SOLID)

Add damping to the physics settings.

Linear Elastic Material 1

In the Model Builder window, expand the Component 1 (comp1)>Solid Mechanics (solid)
node, then click Linear Elastic Material 1.

Damping 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Attributes and choose Damping.
2 In the Settings window for Damping, locate the Damping Settings section.
3 In the αdM text field, type alpha.
4 In the βdK text field, type beta.
Add a Harmonic Perturbation to the DC bias term, to represent the AC drive voltage.

5 | FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF A BIASED RESONATOR — 2D

ELECTROSTATICS (ES)

Electric Potential 1
In the Model Builder window, expand the Component 1 (comp1)>Electrostatics (es) node,
then click Electric Potential 1.

Harmonic Perturbation 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Attributes and choose Harmonic Perturbation.
2 In the Settings window for Harmonic Perturbation, locate the Electric Potential section.
3 In the V0 text field, type 0.1.
Set up the frequency domain study.

ADD STUDY
1 In the Home toolbar, click Add Study to open the Add Study window.
2 Go to the Add Study window.
3 Find the Studies subsection. In the Select Study tree, select
Preset Studies for Selected Physics Interfaces>Solid Mechanics>Frequency Domain,
Prestressed.
4 Click Add Study in the window toolbar.
5 In the Home toolbar, click Add Study to close the Add Study window.

STUDY 2

Step 2: Frequency Domain Perturbation

1 In the Model Builder window, under Study 2 click Step 2: Frequency Domain Perturbation.
2 In the Settings window for Frequency Domain Perturbation, locate the Study Settings
section.
3 In the Frequencies text field, type range(7.95[MHz],0.01[MHz],8.25[MHz]).
4 In the Model Builder window, click Study 2.
5 In the Settings window for Study, type Frequency domain in the Label text field.
6 Locate the Study Settings section. Clear the Generate default plots check box.
7 In the Home toolbar, click Compute.
Produce a plot of the frequency response of the system.

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RESULTS

Frequency Domain
1 In the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 1D Plot Group.
2 In the Settings window for 1D Plot Group, locate the Data section.
3 From the Dataset list, choose Frequency domain/Solution 2 (sol2).
4 In the Label text field, type Frequency Domain.

Point Graph 1
1 Right-click Frequency Domain and choose Point Graph.
2 In the Settings window for Point Graph, locate the Selection section.
3 Click Paste Selection.
4 In the Paste Selection dialog box, type 9 in the Selection text field.
5 Click OK.
6 In the Settings window for Point Graph, locate the y-Axis Data section.
7 In the Expression text field, type v.
8 In the Frequency Domain toolbar, click Plot.
Compare the resulting plot with Figure 1.

Streamline 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Electric Potential (es) node, then click
Streamline 1.
2 In the Settings window for Streamline, locate the Streamline Positioning section.
3 In the Separating distance text field, type 0.005.
4 In the Electric Potential (es) toolbar, click Plot.

Streamline 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Electric Field Norm (es) node, then
click Streamline 1.
2 In the Settings window for Streamline, locate the Streamline Positioning section.
3 In the Separating distance text field, type 0.005.
4 In the Electric Field Norm (es) toolbar, click Plot.

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