The structure of stationary solutions to a micro-electro mechanical system with fringing field (Q2189822)

The paper is devoted to the study of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). A MEMS is a miniature device that has both mechanical and electronic components. The authors investigate the dynamic deflection of an elastic membrane inside an MEMS when the distance between the plate and the membrane is relatively small compared to the length of the device. The history of the subject and motivation of the investigation are well-represented. Considering the stationary one-dimensional case when the inertia is ignored, the device is embedded in an electric circuit without a capacitor, the system is with the fringing field, and the edge of the membrane is kept fixed, the authors reduce the equation describing the operation of the MEMS to the Dirichlet boundary value problem of the form \[ -u_{xx}=\lambda\,\frac{1+u_{x}^{2}}{(1-u)^{2}},\ x\in (-1,1),\tag{1} \] \[ u(\pm 1)=0,\tag{2} \] where \(\lambda\) is a positive constant proportional to the square of the applied voltage. It is known [\textit{J. Wei} and \textit{D. Ye}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 138, No. 5, 1693--1699 (2010; Zbl 1192.35057)] that there is a positive finite critical value \(\lambda^{*}\) such that Problem (1)--(2) has no solution for \(\lambda>\lambda^{*}\), a unique solution for \(\lambda=\lambda^{*}\), and at least 2 solutions for \(\lambda\in (0,\lambda^{*})\). The authors of the paper verify analytically that there are exactly two solutions to (1)--(2) for each \(\lambda\in (0,\lambda^{*})\). Also, the authors prove the stability of the smaller stationary solutions for \(\lambda\in (0,\lambda^{*})\). The obtained results continue studies of the subject and may be useful for researchers in the field. The list of references contains 26 items.