MEMS Device R&D

Overview

This document showcases multiple case studies where multiphysics simulation and modeling, using COMSOL Multiphysics software, advanced the design and development of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices across various industries.

One featured story highlights Warwick Audio Technologies Limited (WAT), a UK-based startup developing High-Precision Electrostatic Laminate (HPEL) transducers for high-end electrostatic headphones. WAT’s novel one-sided electrostatic speaker uses a thin, ultralight membrane combined with a conductive mesh and polymer spacer to improve manufacturability and reduce cost versus traditional electrostatic headphones. However, complexity in the acoustic performance, including nonlinear distortion and frequency response issues, demanded advanced modeling. Partnering with COMSOL Certified Consultant Xi Engineering, they created a fully coupled structural-MEMS-acoustic simulation capturing membrane dynamics, electrostatic forces, thermoacoustic losses, and material properties. This multiphysics approach allowed optimization of parameters such as mesh geometry, membrane tension, and bias voltages to reduce low-frequency distortion and improve sound fidelity. The simulation results closely matched physical measurements, leading to fewer costly prototypes and faster product iterations. Xi Engineering further developed a customized simulation app enabling WAT and their clients to run design variations without mastering COMSOL itself, allowing easier customization for different headphone models.

Another example involves FUJIFILM Dimatix in the US, using simulation to optimize unimorph MEMS actuators in inkjet printheads. Modeling piezoelectric layers, actuator compliance, and fluid-structure interaction helped improve droplet ejection performance while enabling miniaturization and efficient design iteration.

The document also describes multiphysics design of RF MEMS resonators, key components in 5G communication devices, emphasizing modeling of bulk and surface acoustic wave resonators to ensure high frequencies, quality factors, and integration into electronics.

Additionally, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) employed multiphysics simulation to design a nanoscale silicon photonic MEMS phase shifter for optical fiber networks. By simulating both the electromechanical actuation and optical signal propagation, they developed a compact, low-loss device to modulate optical signals, advancing scalable photonic integrated circuits.

Overall, the shared stories demonstrate how multiphysics simulation accelerates innovation in MEMS device R&D by accurately capturing coupled physical effects, reducing prototypes, and enabling customization and cost-effective manufacturing across audio, printing, communication, and photonics applications.