MICROELECTRONIC SYSTEMS NEWS

FILENUMBER: 1034 BEGIN_KEYWORDS FREE CAD MEMS END_KEYWORDS DATE: November 2001 TITLE: FREE CAD FOR MEMS
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TITLE: FREE CAD FOR MEMS

The  increasing  integration  of  MEMS  (Micro-Electro-Mechanical
Systems)  has  pushed  the  demand for CAD tools to support rapid
design  of  systems  involving  physical   interactions   between
multiple  domains such as electrical, mechanical, and thermal. At
present, MEMS simulation is most  often  performed  using  direct
numerical  simulation or signal flow analysis that is arduous and
time consuming  for  system  design  due  to  its  low  level  of
abstraction.  In  contrast, nodal simulation enables a structured
representation for MEMS design using a hierarchical  set  of  MEM
components.  A  such  example  is  NODASv1.4  created by Carnegie
Mellon's MEMS LAB.

NODASv1.4 is a library  of  parameterized  components  for  using
SABER  nodal  simulator  to  simulate  surface-micromachined MEMS
devices. The library is composed of beams, plate masses, anchors,
electrostatic   comb   drives   (vertical  and  horizontal),  and
electrostatic  gaps   (horizontal).   The   components   can   be
interconnected   to  represent  both  devices  and  more  complex
systems. Electrical properties  are  included  in  the  component
models,  enabling electrical and electromechanical analysis to be
performed simultaneously.

For additional information, access: NODAS

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