A study of a nonlocal problem with Robin boundary conditions arising from MEMS technology

Abstract

In the current work we study a nonlocal parabolic problem with Robin boundary conditions. The problem arises from the study of an idealized electrically actuated MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) device. Initially we study the steady-state problem in one dimension and we present some numerical results regarding its bifurcation diagram. Next the $N-$dimensional nonlocal problem steady-state problem is investigated and a Pohozaev-type identity is first obtained which then facilitates derivation of an estimate of the pull-in voltage for radially symmetric domains. Later the time-dependent problem is investigated and global-in-time as well as quenching results are obtained again for general and radially symmetric domains. We close the current work with a numerical investigation of the presented nonlocal model via an adaptive numerical method. Various numerical experiments are presented verifying the obtained analytical results.