Dynamic analysis of a snap-action micromechanism

Snap-action bistable mechanisms have a practical use in applications when very few but well defined and repeat-able states of a micro-mechanism are required. Some obvious applications include micro-switches, address-able MEMS-based pixel arrays, and tunable optical fil-ters. We have explored the dynamic switching phe-nomena analytically and experimentally. This paper reports on a detailed mathematical model governing the non-linear response of a bistable micromechanism in its bistable equilibrium, analytical results describing non-linear dynamics of the mechanism near its equilib-rium state and transient dynamics of switching between bistable states, and design, fabrication, and character-ization results bistable micromechanism in their upper bistable equilibrium