Amplification in MEMS RLC Circuits for Enhanced Sensitivity and MEMS Applications

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have garnered significant attention due to their unique characteristics, including small size, high sensitivity, and cost-effective mass production. While electrostatic actuation offers low power consumption, it requires high voltage to move the MEMS structure, posing a challenge for applications such as RF switches and MEMS resonator-based sensors. Reducing the required input voltage for electrostatic MEMS remains a key research focus. This thesis investigates voltage amplification in electrostatic MEMS through integration with resonant RLC circuits. By leveraging resonance, optimized configurations are designed to maximize voltage gain and enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. Through theoretical modeling and simulations using MATLAB and Simulink, along with experimental validation, the proposed MEMS-RLC system achieved a voltage gain of 71 times from a 1 V input. Experimental and simulation results demonstrate notable improvements in sensor performance, emphasizing the benefits of resonant amplification. This thesis concludes by summarizing contributions, acknowledging limitations, and outlining future research directions to advance resonance-enhanced MEMS technologies for sensing applications. Advisor: Fadi Alsaleem