Carbon Nanotubes as Ultrahigh Quality Factor Mechanical Resonators

Abstract

We have observed the transversal vibration mode of suspended carbon nanotubes at millikelvin temperatures by measuring the single-electron tunneling current. The suspended nanotubes are actuated contact-free by the radio frequency electric field of a nearby antenna; the mechanical resonance is detected in the time-averaged current through the nanotube. Sharp, gate-tunable resonances due to the bending mode of the nanotube are observed, combining resonance frequencies of up to nu(0) = 350 MHz with quality factors above Q = 10(5), much higher than previously reported results on suspended carbon nanotube resonators. The measured magnitude and temperature dependence of the Q factor shows a remarkable agreement with the intrinsic damping predicted for a suspended carbon nanotube. By adjusting the radio frequency power on the antenna, we find that the nanotube resonator can easily be driven into the nonlinear regime.

In-plane nanoelectromechanical resonators based on silicon nanowire piezoresistive detection

“…Furthermore a device with large background will be more sensitive to the random perturbations of its environment. This value is close to two orders of magnitude larger than previous SBR [3,19,20] at ambient temperature (300 K). Four reasons for this large SBR can be mentioned.…”

Nanoscale Electromechanics To Measure Thermal Conductivity, Expansion, and Interfacial Losses

“…1,2 Resonators of thin membranes, carbon nanotubes, 3,4 graphene, 5 and other two dimensional materials have been studied for their use as sensors 6,7 and for probing fundamental physics of mechanical motion. 8,9 In order to improve the sensitivity of the NEMS sensors microscopic mechanisms of energy loss have also been studied extensively.…”

Lifting the Franck-Condon blockade in driven quantum dots

“…Such a quantum dot may be realized on a suspended CNT using electronic back gates to confine an electron in a specific section of the nanotube. 6,[9][10][11][12][15][16][17]20 The vibrations of the CNT can be strongly coupled to the charge degree of freedom of the electron and thus have a great influence on its conductive properties. 12,20,21 Additionally, a back gate can be used to apply an ac voltage, thus modulating the dot energy level.…”

“…[5][6][7][8] Suspended carbon nanotubes (CNTs) which are free to vibrate comprise exactly such mesoscopic electromechanical systems. 6 CNTs are superb mechanical oscillators due to (i) their high Q-factors and stiffness, 9,10 (ii) high vibrational frequencies in the GHz range, 11 and (iii) large electron-phonon coupling. 12 Besides these mechanical properties, the electronic and transport properties of CNTs can also be tuned depending on the setup.…”