Vibrations in Electronics

Many modern electrical devices make use of microelectromechanical, or MEM, resonators and filters (pictured above) in their circuitry, especially those involving the wireless transmission of data such as cell phones and computers. One possible use for an MEM resonator would be to act as a bandpass filter, regulating the frequency output of a circuit (a possibility which has been researched by Purdue Mechanical Engineering professor Jeffrey Rhoads). The filter acts by having negligible motion until a signal is passed which results in the MEM device oscillating at resonance (approximately its natural frequency), at which point the vibrations of the structure reach a magnitude large enough for the wave to pass through. The following article discusses some recent breakthroughs in the area and the advantages of using MEM technology:

Article