Mechanics of the dynamic release process for stiction failed microcantilever beams using structural vibrations

Recently it has been shown that structural vibrations are an efficient means to repair stiction failed microcantilever beams. Experiments and analysis have identified excitation parameters (amplitude and frequency) that successfully initiated the debonding process between the microcantilever and the substrate. That analysis could not describe what happened after the debonding process was initiated. For example it could not predict if the beam would transition from a s-shaped to an arc-shaped configuration or even be repaired to a free-standing beam. The current research examines the post-initiation behavior of stiction failed microcantilever beams. A new-coupled fracture/vibration model is formulated and used to track the evolution of the repair in order to determine the extent of repair under various conditions. This model successfully explains phenomenological observations made during the experiments regarding the repair process being dependent on direction of frequency sweeps, complete and partial repair, and monitors the degree of repair no repair, partial repair or complete repair along with releases time associated with such repairs.