Parametric analysis of snap-through behavior in bistable piezoelectric MEMS plates under air and vacuum conditions

This work reports on the snap-through behavior in bistable piezoelectric MEMS actuators in air and vacuum. In both environments, the systematic analysis of the device response comprises the parameter space when applying electrical excitation signals of seven harmonic pulses with varying peak-to-peak voltage Vpp as well as frequency f. The parametric study focuses on the variation in snap-through events in both air and vacuum between the two ground states of the actuator and the development of the inter-well and intra-well regions. Frequency domain analysis revealed higher vibrational modes within inter-well oscillations across all investigated environments. In intra-well transitions, these modes are attributed to an indirect result of the beating phenomena occurring during the device’s forcing duration. As damping is reduced under vacuum conditions, the inter-well oscillation region expands and shifts toward lower actuation voltages. Simulations using a physically fitted Duffing oscillator demonstrate satisfactory qualitative trend and agreement with the experimental data in both environments. This work highlights the impact of damping and input electrical parameters on bistable piezoelectric MEMS behavior across the investigated parameter space, which is essential for guiding future studies.