Electromechanics and its devices

Electromechanics—coupling of mechanical forces with others—exhibits a continuum-to-discrete spectrum of properties. In this chapter, classical and newer analysis techniques are developed for devices ranging from inertial sensors to scanning probes to quantify limits and sensitivities. Mechanical response, energy storage, transduction and dynamic characteristics of various devices are analyzed. The Lagrangian approach is developed for multidomain analysis and to bring out nonlinearity. The approach is extended to nanoscale fluidic systems where nonlinearities, fluctuation effects and the classical-quantum boundary is quite central. This leads to the study of measurement limits using power spectrum and, correlations with slow and fast forces. After a diversion to acoustic waves and piezoelectric phenomena, nonlinearities are explored in depth: homogeneous and forced conditions of excitation, chaos, bifurcations and other consequences, Melnikov analysis and the classic phase portaiture. The chapter ends with comments on multiphysics such as of nanotube-based systems and electromechanobiological biomotor systems.

Computing Melnikov Curves for Periodically Perturbed Piecewise Smooth Oscillators

Curves dividing the parameter plane into regions according to the presence or absence of homoclinic or heteroclinic tangle corresponding to the periodically perturbed saddle of the piecewise smooth oscillator are studied using Melnikov analysis. The analysis is not simplified by choosing the discontinuity plane at a convenient location. Separatrix of the unperturbed system is parametrized exactly in a piecewise manner. Switching times, i.e. parameter values at which the separatrix crosses the discontinuity plane, are obtained. Switching times split the Melnikov integral into various subintegrals which are evaluated either exactly using term-wise integration of the infinite series of the integrand or approximately using a finite-term series approximation of the integrand, the latter being computationally an extensive task. Integral evaluations though approximate, are purely analytical expressions in terms of special functions such as digamma and hypergeometric. Melnikov plots show that the boundary between three regions in the parameter plane differ qualitatively in case of parametric and external excitations, however; adding self-excitation to the external one does not much alter the boundary qualitatively and quantitatively.

Bifurcation Results for Traveling Waves in Nonlinear Magnetic Metamaterials

In this work, we study a model of a one-dimensional magnetic metamaterial formed by a discrete array of nonlinear resonators. We focus on periodic and localized traveling waves of the model, in the presence of loss and an external drive. Employing a Melnikov analysis we study the existence and persistence of such traveling waves, and study their linear stability. We show that, under certain conditions, the presence of dissipation and/or driving may stabilize or destabilize the solutions. Our analytical results are found to be in good agreement with direct numerical computations.