Nonlinear tuning of microresonators for dynamic range enhancement.

This paper investigates the development of a novel framework and its implementation for the nonlinear tuning of nano/microresonators. Using geometrically exact mechanical formulations, a nonlinear model is obtained that governs the transverse and longitudinal dynamics of multilayer microbeams, and also takes into account rotary inertia effects. The partial differential equations of motion are discretized, according to the Galerkin method, after being reformulated into a mixed form. A zeroth-order shift as well as a hardening effect are observed in the frequency response of the beam. These results are confirmed by a higher order perturbation analysis using the method of multiple scales. An inverse problem is then proposed for the continuation of the critical amplitude at which the transition to nonlinear response characteristics occurs. Path-following techniques are employed to explore the dependence on the system parameters, as well as on the geometry of bilayer microbeams, of the magnitude of the dynamic range in nano/microresonators.