DSMC moving-boundary algorithms for simulating mems geometries with opening and closing gaps

Abstract

Moving-boundary algorithms for the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method are investigated for a microbeam that moves toward and away from a parallel substrate. The simpler but analogous one-dimensional situation of a piston moving between two parallel walls is investigated using two moving-boundary algorithms. In the first, molecules are reflected rigorously from the moving piston by performing the reflections in the piston frame of reference. In the second, molecules are reflected approximately from the moving piston by moving the piston and subsequently moving all molecules and reflecting them from the moving piston at its new or old position. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.