Estimation of the squeeze film effect in a surface acoustic wave motor

This paper describes the air film characteristic in the interface between the slider and stator substrate of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) motor, and the difference of the squeeze film effect by the form of the slider. Because the vibration amplitude of the SAW motor is several 10 nm order, analysis of pressure was performed by using the molecular gas-film lubrication (MGL) equation. In the analysis, the MGL equation was split into advection phase and nonadvection phase, and calculation of advection and nonadvection phases was performed by using the cubic interpolated propagation (CIP) method and the finite difference method, respectively. From analysis results it was found that the time to steady pressure of air film depends on the radius of projection arranged on the contact surface of the slider. Also found was that the steady pressure in the interface does not depend on the radius arid height of the projection, but it depends on the minimum spacing between the slider and the stator substrate.