The abstract quasilinear Cauchy problem for a MEMS model with two free boundaries (Q2355756)

A free boundary problem describing a MEMS device with two free elastic membranes is studied. It describes the evolution of the vertical displacements \(-1\leq v<u \leq 0\) of the two membranes and of the electrostatic potential \(\phi\) in the device and reads \[ \begin{align*}{ - \Delta_\varepsilon\phi & = 0 \quad\text{ in }\quad \Omega_{u(t),v(t)}, \quad t> 0, \cr \partial_t u - \partial_x \left( \frac{\partial_x u}{\sqrt{1+\varepsilon^2 (\partial_x u)^2}} \right) & = - \lambda |\nabla_\varepsilon\phi|^2 \quad\text{ on }\quad \Gamma_{u(t)}, \quad t> 0, \cr \partial_t v - \partial_x \left( \frac{\partial_x v}{\sqrt{1+\varepsilon^2 (\partial_x v)^2}} \right) & = \mu |\nabla_\varepsilon\phi|^2 \quad\text{ on }\quad \Gamma_{v(t)}, \quad t> 0, }\end{align*} \] where \(\nabla_\varepsilon=(\varepsilon \partial_x , \partial_z)\), \(\Delta_\varepsilon = \varepsilon^2 \partial_x^2 + \partial_z^2\), \(\Gamma_u = \{ (x,u(x)): x\in (-1,1)\}\), \(\Gamma_v = \{ (x,v(x)): x\in (-1,1)\}\), and \[ \Omega_{u,v} = \left\{ (x,z)\in (-1,1)\times (-1,0):v(x) < z < u(x) \right\}\;. \] This system of equations is supplemented with the Dirichlet boundary conditions \[ u(t,\pm 1) = 1+v(t,\pm 1) = 0, \quad \phi = \frac{z-v}{u-v} \quad\text{ on }\quad \partial\Omega_{u(t),v(t)}, \quad t>0, \] and initial conditions \((u_0,v_0)\). For initial conditions \((u_0,v_0)\in W_q^2(-1,1)\times W_q^2(-1,1)\), \(q>2\), satisfying \(u_0(\pm 1) = 1+ v_0(\pm 1) = 0\) and \(-1\leq v_0<u_0\leq 0\), local well-posedness is shown along with global well-posedness for small initial data and small (\(\lambda,\mu)\), the solution satisfying \(v<u\) on its existence time. The non-existence of global solutions which are bounded in \(W_q^2\) is also shown for \(\max\{\lambda,\mu\}\) large enough. In addition, the existence of stable stationary solutions is obtained for small values of \(\max\{\lambda,\mu\}\). Finally the limit as \(\varepsilon\to 0\) is justified. The proofs borrow several arguments from the analysis performed in [\textit{J. Escher} et al., Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 367, No. 8, 5693--5719 (2015; Zbl 1325.35291)] for the same problem with a single membrane (corresponding to setting \(v\equiv -1\) in the above equations).