Noise-induced chaos in the electrostatically actuated MEMS resonators

In this Letter, nonlinear dynamic and chaotic behaviors of electrostatically actuated MEMS resonators subjected to random disturbance are investigated analytically and numerically. A reduced-order model, which includes nonlinear geometric and electrostatic effects as well as random disturbance, for the resonator is developed. The necessary conditions for the rising of chaos in the stochastic system are obtained using random Melnikov approach. The results indicate that very rich random quasi-periodic and chaotic motions occur in the resonator system. The threshold of bounded noise amplitude for the onset of chaos in the resonator system increases as the noise intensity increases.

► Nonlinear dynamics of electrostatically micro-resonators are investigated.
► A reduced-order model of the microresonator is developed.
► The necessary conditions for the rising of chaos are obtained.