This CAREER proposal will be awarded using funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This CAREER proposal describes a research plan focused on closed-loop stabilization of parametrically-amplified micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and a teaching plan focused on hands-on experimental learning at the high-school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. MEMS resonators have important applications as sensors and as communication devices. Parametric amplification, a nonlinear phenomenon occurring within the micromechanical element, has the potential to enhance the sensitivity and reduce the power consumption of these devices. Although parametric amplification is a well-known phenomenon, it has seen little practical use in MEMS due to instability and gain-variation issues, problems which arose because previous researchers studied only open-loop resonators. Intellectual merit: This proposal addresses gaps in the current knowledge about parametrically-amplified MEMS resonators. Building on earlier work studying the open-loop dynamics of parametric resonators, control strategies will be developed to stabilize nonlinear oscillators and to produce resonant sensors with stable transduction gain. Broader impact: The methods developed to achieve stable, high-gain nonlinear resonators will have broad applications in micromechanical force sensors, such as atomic force microscopes, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, as well as in communication devices such as oscillators and filters. The centerpiece of the proposed teaching plan is to develop and teach a hands-on summer course on MEMS and microfabrication for high-school students. Research opportunities for undergraduates from under-represented minority and economically disadvantaged groups will be provided in cooperation with existing programs on the UC Davis campus.
