MEXEL: Simulation of microsystems in a circuit simulator using automatic electromechanical modeling.

The simulation of microsystems requires to handle the close coupling between electronical and mechanical components. This interaction between electronics and mechanics often is an inherent and essential property of such systems. Therefore, dynamical electromechanical simulations are indispensable for the examination of the system behavior. This paper is about a method which enables dynamical electromechanical simulations within an electronical circuit simulator. To accomplish this, the mechanical behavior of the system is modeled through electronical devices. This modeling process is automated by the CAD-tool MEXEL which translates systems of (partial) differential and algebraical equations to SPICE3-netlists. In this way, electromechanical systems can be handled with one simulator and one simulation approach. Problems caused by coupling different simulators do not occur any more.