Novel hybrid macromodel for MEMS system-level modeling and simulation

Our brief review of existing literature at the start of our paper reveals the disadvantages of using only analytical or numerical macromodel as system-level modeling method. In our opinion, a hybrid macromodel combining analytical macromodel with numerical macromodel offers more attractive advantages. We now present the results of our research on this interesting and, to our knowledge, new subject. First, the MEMS device was decomposed into several combinations of simple components and complex ones. Then the analytic method was used to establish the macromodel of the simple components, and the numerical method was used to establish the macromodel of the complex components. Finally, these macromodel were interconnected to each other according to the original topology of the device for the system-level modeling and rapid simulation. We have demonstrated the excellence of the hybrid macromodel by a z-axis micro accelerometer. The macromodel of the plate mass and the parallel plate capacitor were constructed by the analytical method because of their regular and simple shapes, while the macromodel of the four folded beams were constructed by the numerical method because of their irregular shapes, then these macromodel were interconnected to each other in order to establish the system-level hybrid model. At last, the model was simulated in SaberTMsimulator. The results agreed very well with that of ANSYS (error less than 2%), and the transient simulation time was less than 2min. This shows that the method was efficient for rapidly performing MEMS system-level design.