See How Multiphysics Simulation Is Used in Research and Development

Engineers, researchers, and scientists across industries use multiphysics simulation to research and develop innovative product designs and processes. Find inspiration in technical papers and presentations they have presented at the COMSOL Conference. Browse the selection below or use the Quick Search tool to find a specific presentation or filter by application area.


View the COMSOL Conference 2023 Collection

MEMS and Nanotechnologyx

The 3D Mixed-Dimensional Quench Model of a High Aspect Ratio High Temperature Superconducting Coated Conductor Tape

W.K. Chan[1,2], J. Schwartz[2], P. Masson[3], and C. Luongo[4]
[1]FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Tallahassee, FL, USA
[2]North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
[3]Advanced Magnet Lab, Palm Bay, FL, USA
[4]ITER Organization/Magnet Division, Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France

A successful development of an effective quench detection and protection method for a high temperature superconducting (HTS) coil based on a HTS coated conductor tape lays on a thorough understanding of its slowly propagating, three-dimension (3D) quench behavior. Toward this goal, a 3D ... Read More

Design and Optimization of an All Optically Driven Phase Correction MEMS Deformable Mirror Device using Finite Element Analysis

V. Mathur[1], K. Anglin[1], V.S. Prasher[1], K. Termkoa[1], S.R. Vangala[1], X. Qian[1], J. Sherwood[1], W.D. Goodhue[1], B. Haji-Saeed[2], and J. Khoury[2]

[1]Photonics Center, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
[2]Air Force Research Laboratory/Sensors Directorate, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, USA

Optically addressable MEMS mirrors are required for future high density adaptive optics array systems. We have demonstrated a novel technique of achieving this by actuating low stress Silicon Nitride micro mirrors via cascaded wafer bonded Gallium Arsenide photo detectors on Gallium ... Read More

Optimization of Carbon Nanotube Field Emission Arrays

B. L. Crossley[1], M. Kossler[1], P.J. Collins[1], R. A. Coutu Jr.[1], and L. A. Starman[1]

[1]Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been proven experimentally to be well suited for field emission applications. An optimized triode configured CNT field emission array is developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics Electrostatics Application to adjust five key physical dimensions to investigate ... Read More

The Fabrication of a New Actuator Based on the Flexoelectric Effect

S. Baskaran[1], S. Thiruvannamalai[1], N. Ramachandran[1], F.M. Sebastian[1], and J.Y. Fu[1]
[1]State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA

This paper presents a novel methodology towards the design, analysis, and the fabrication process involved in developing a cost effective method to create a piezoelectric actuator by means of the flexoelectric effect. The basic physical equations of the flexoelectric effect and the ... Read More

Multiphysics Simulation of the Effect of Sensing and Spacer Layers on SAW Velocity

P. Zheng[1,4], D.W. Greve[2,4], and I.J. Oppenheim[3,4]

[1]Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
[2]Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
[3]Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
[4]National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Surface acoustic wave gas sensors use a chemically sensitive resistive layer to detect gas concentration. The resistivity of the sensing material, the sensing layer thickness, and the spacer layer thickness all affect the surface wave propagation velocity. Existing analytic theory ... Read More

The Origin of Mass-change Sensitivity within Multi-layered, Non-uniform, Piezoelectrically-actuated Millimeter-sized Cantilever (PEMC) Biosensors: Vibrational Analysis through Experiment and Finite Element Modeling (FEM)

B.N. Johnson[1], and R. Mutharasan[1]

[1]Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

A 3D finite element model (FEM) of the PEMC sensor was developed to characterize the modes of vibration that have demonstrated high sensitivity to mass-change in experimentally fabricated sensors. The fundamental bending mode of vibration and the 1st bending harmonic are predicted at 10 ... Read More

Nanoscale Heat Transfer using Phonon Boltzmann Transport Equation

S. Sihn[1,2], and A.K. Roy[2]

[1]Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, USA
[2]University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio, USA

COMSOL Multiphysics was used to solve a phonon Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) for nanoscale heat transport problems. One dimensional steady-state and transient BTE problems were successfully solved based on finite element and discrete ordinate methods for spatial and angular ... Read More

COMSOL Multiphysics Modeling of Rotational Resonant MEMS Sensors with Electrothermal Drive

S. Nelson[1], and M. Guvench[1]
[1]University of Southern Maine, Gorham, Maine, USA

COMSOL Multiphysics is employed to model, simulate and predict the performance of a high Q, in-plane rotational resonating MEMS sensor. The resonating sensor disk is driven by thermal expansion and contraction of the support tethers due to AC joule heating. The resonant frequency is ... Read More

Experimentally Matched Finite Element Modeling of Thermally Actuated SOI MEMS Micro-Grippers Using COMSOL Multiphysics

M. Guvench[1], and J. Crosby[1]
[1]University of Southern Maine, Gorham, Maine, USA

In “Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems” shortly known as MEMS, one of the most important and effective principle of creating transduction of electrical power to displacement force is thermal expansion. A slim beam of MEMS material, typically Silicon, is heated by the application of ... Read More

Study of Fluid and Mass Adsorption Model in the QCM-D Sensor for Characterization of Biomolecular Interaction

H.J. Kwon[1], C.K. Bradfield[1], B.T. Dodge[1], and G.S. Agoki[1]
[1]Department of Engineering and Computer Science, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA

Increasing attention has been paid to application of the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) sensor for monitoring biomolecular interactions. This paper focuses on a practical application of protein-protein binding affinity measurement at low concentrations and minimal ... Read More