Dynamic pull-in instability of double-sided actuated nano-torsional switches

A nonlinear frequency-amplitude relation is developed to investigate the vibrational amplitude effect on the dynamic pull-in instability of double-sided-actuated nano-torsional switches. The governing equation of a nano-electro-mechanical system pre-deformed by an electric field contains the quintic nonlinear term. The influences of basic parameters on the pull-in instability and natural frequency are investigated using a powerful analytical approach called the homotopy perturbation method. It is demonstrated that two terms in series expansion are sufficient to produce an acceptable solution. The numerical results obtained have verified the soundness of the asymptotic procedure. The phase portraits of the double-sided nano-torsional-actuator exhibit periodic, homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits.