) within the AC/DC branch (
). Most of the multiphysics interfaces require an AC/DC Module license and the addition of either a Structural Mechanics Module or a MEMS Module license. This section gives an overview introduction to these multiphysics interfaces. For detailed descriptions, click the hyperlinks of the interface names listed below:|
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The Electromechanics Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Electrostatics with a moving mesh functionality to model the deformation of electrostatically actuated structures. |
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The Electromechanics, Boundary Elements Interface (
 ): It combines the functionality of Solid Mechanics and Electrostatics to model the deformation of electrostatically actuated structures. The coupling is a boundary load caused by the Maxwell Stress at the interface of the solid domains and nonsolid voids, where the electric field is computed using the boundary element method. The backward coupling to Electrostatics is due to the deformations of the boundaries. |
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The Piezoelectricity Interface, Solid (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Electrostatics together with the constitutive relationships required to model piezoelectrics. Both the direct and inverse piezoelectric effects can be modeled and the piezoelectric coupling can be formulated using the strain-charge or stress-charge forms. |
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The Piezoelectricity, Layered Shell Interface (
 ): It combines structural layered shells and electric currents in shells together with the constitutive relationships required to model the direct and inverse piezoelectric effects. The piezoelectric coupling can be formulated using either the strain-charge or stress-charge forms. |
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The Pyroelectricity Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics, Electrostatics, and Heat Transfer in Solids together with the constitutive relationships required to model piezoelectric applications, in which the temperature variation and electric charge are coupled. This interface requires the MEMS Module license. |
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The Electrostriction Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Electrostatics together with the constitutive relationships required to model electrostriction in electrostatically actuated structures in regimes when the electric polarization can be assumed to vary linear with the applied electric field. Both the direct and inverse electrostrictive effects can be modeled. |
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The Ferroelectroelasticity Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Electrostatics together with the constitutive relationships required to model nonlinear electromechanical interaction in ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials. Electric polarization in such materials depends nonlinearly on the applied electric field including possible hysteresis and saturation effects. In addition, the polarization and mechanical deformations in such materials can be strongly coupled due to the electrostriction effect. |
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The Nonlinear Magnetostriction Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Magnetic Fields together with the constitutive relationships required to model magnetostrictive materials and devices. Both the direct and inverse magnetostriction effects can be modeled. |
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The Piezomagnetism Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Magnetic Fields together with the constitutive relationships required to model linear magnetostrictive materials and devices. Both the direct and inverse piezomagnetic effects can be modeled. |
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The Magnetomechanics Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Magnetic Fields interfaces together with a moving mesh functionality. The interface can be used for modeling deformation of magnetically actuated structures, which includes interaction of magnetic fields with magnetic materials and current carrying elements such as coils and wires. |
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The Magnetomechanics, No Currents Interface (
 ): It combines Solid Mechanics and Magnetic Fields, No Currents interfaces with a moving mesh functionality to model the deformation of magnetostatically actuated structures. The interface is suitable in cases when induction and conduction effects such as eddy currents are negligible within the structure. |
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The Piezoresistivity, Domain Currents Interface (
 ): It combines the Solid Mechanics and Electric Currents interfaces to simulate the piezoresistive effect. The physics interface is appropriate for situations when the thicknesses of the conducting and piezoresistive layers are resolved by the mesh. |
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The Piezoresistivity, Boundary Currents Interface (
 ): It combines the Solid Mechanics interface with electric current flow within a thin layer of the solid to model piezoresistance. The interface is appropriate for situations in which the thickness of the piezoresistive layer is much less than that of the structural layer. |
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The Piezoresistivity, Shell Interface (
 ): It combines structural shells with electric current flow on a thin layer within the shell to simulate the piezoresistive effect. The physics interface is used when the structural layer is thin enough to be treated by the Shell interface, but the conducting and piezoresistive layers are still much thinner than the structural layers. This physics interface requires the addition of the Structural Mechanics Module. |