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Hierarchical Mixed-Domain Circuit Simulation, Synthesis and Extraction Methodology for MEMS

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Abstract

Emerging results for mixed-domain circuit simulation, a component-level synthesis strategy, and a layout extractor is presented for use in design of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The mixed-domain circuit representation is based on Kirchhoffian network theory. Micromechanical and electromechanical components may be partitioned hierarchically into low-level reusable elements. The MEMS component-level synthesis approach uses optimization to generate microstructure layout that meets specified performance criteria. A feature-recognition based extractor for verification translates layout geometry into the mixed-domain circuit representation. A common MEMS component, the integrated microresonator, demonstrates the use of these tools. Lumped-parameter MEMS simulation of the resonant frequency matches finite-element analysis to 1% and fabricated resonators match to within 4% of the synthesized performance. Based on this initial work, a hierarchical structured design methodology for integrated microsystems that is compatible with standard VLSI design is proposed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-3890

    Tamal Mukherjee

  2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and The Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-3890

    Gary K. Fedder

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  1. Tamal Mukherjee
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Mukherjee, T., Fedder, G.K. Hierarchical Mixed-Domain Circuit Simulation, Synthesis and Extraction Methodology for MEMS. The Journal of VLSI Signal Processing-Systems for Signal, Image, and Video Technology 21, 233–249 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008122921631

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