Tuning of Nanotube Mechanical Resonances by Electric Field Pulling

Purcell, Stephen T.; Vincent, P.; Journet, Catherine; Binh, Vu Thien

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.89.276103

Cited by 212 publications

(226 citation statements)

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“…22 three years ago, the strain dependence of the eigenmodes was only recently reported in Ref. 29, which was published after this manuscript had been submitted for publication. Reference 29 demonstrates this effect for singly-clamped multiwall carbon nanotubes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Carbon nanotubes as nanoelectromechanical systems

et al. 2003

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We theoretically study the interplay between electrical and mechanical properties of suspended, doubly clamped carbon nanotubes in which charging effects dominate. In this geometry, the capacitance between the nanotube and the gate͑s͒ depends on the distance between them. This dependence modifies the usual Coulomb models and we show that it needs to be incorporated to capture the physics of the problem correctly. We find that the tube position changes in discrete steps every time an electron tunnels onto it. Edges of Coulomb diamonds acquire a ͑small͒ curvature. We also show that bistability in the tube position occurs and that tunneling of an electron onto the tube drastically modifies the quantized eigenmodes of the tube. Experimental verification of these predictions is possible in suspended tubes of sub-micron length.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Carbon nanotubes as nanoelectromechanical systems

et al. 2003

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“…Increasing V DC increases the tension in the nanotube, raising its resonance frequency. 18,20 This produces a finite-slope feature. 18,19 From the small slack we observe in our SEM images, we expect that the nanotube in our device behaves as a stretched string.…”

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confidence: 99%

Atomic-Scale Mass Sensing Using Carbon Nanotube Resonators

et al. 2008

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Ultraminiaturized mass spectrometers are highly sought-after tools, with numerous applications in areas such as environmental protection, exploration, and drug development. We realize atomic scale mass sensing using doubly clamped suspended carbon nanotube nanomechanical resonators, in which their single-electron transistor properties allows self-detection of the nanotube vibration. We use the detection of shifts in the resonance frequency of the nanotubes to sense and determine the inertial mass of atoms as well as the mass of the nanotube. This highly sensitive mass detection capability may eventually enable applications such as on-chip detection, analysis, and identification of compounds.Because of their small size, nanoscale systems are highly sensitive to their environment, affording great potential for sensing applications. Chemical and biological charge-based sensors using carbon nanotubes 1,2 and nanowires 3 have already been demonstrated. Nanoelectromechanical systems have been proposed for highly sensitive mass detection of neutral species, 4,5 and significant progress has been made in using nanofabricated resonators 6-8 and carbon nanotubes 9-12 for mass sensing. However, the ultimate limit of atomic resolution mass sensitivity remains unrealized. Here we demonstrate that individual double-clamped single-walled carbon nanotube resonators are capable of atomic-scale mass sensing and determining the inertial mass of atomic species. Analysis of our data also yields the nanotube mass, giving a general approach to determining the mass of molecular nanostructures. Our results open the door to ultraminiaturized mass spectroscopy or arrays, potentially enabling on-chip detection and identification of unknown analytes, as well as the study of single atom adsorption and desorption.We fabricate our devices by first growing nanotubes from catalyst islands 13 under either pure CH 4 13 or a CH 4 /H 2 mixture 14 on an oxidized Si wafer. We then attach Pd/Au source/drain electrodes and a side gate using electron beam lithography (EBL). In a second step, a layer of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is spun on the chip, and a ∼450 nm window is opened over a segment of the nanotube between the electrodes, again using EBL. The SiO 2 is etched using buffered HF to suspend the carbon nanotube within the window. Following a critical point drying step, the samples are electrically tested at room temperature; we then load selected devices into a custom-built cryostat, which is maintained at a high vacuum. Figure 1a shows a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of a completed suspended nanotube transistor device.At the temperature T ≈ 6 K of our experiment, the nanotubes act as single-electron transistors (SET) in which the charge on the nanotube is an integer multiple of the electron charge e. 15 As the gate voltage V g is swept, electrons enter the SET one at a time, with each transition between discrete charge states producing a Coulomb peak in the source-drain conductance (see e.g. ref 16). Figure 1b shows this b...

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“…[12][13][14][15][16] The resonance frequencies of doubly clamped suspended singlewalled nanotubes (SWNT) have been determined using an indirect mixing technique with a lock-in amplifier. [12][13][14] The method requires a semiconducting nanotube and can therefore not be applied to the mechanically more rigid multiwalled nanotubes (MWNT) or nanofibers (CNF) that have been studied as a dc prototype NEMS and allow the fabrication of more varied device geometries.…”

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confidence: 99%

Direct Transmission Detection of Tunable Mechanical Resonance in an Individual Carbon Nanofiber Relay

et al. 2008

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Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) are attracting increasing attention due to their small size, low power consumption, and fast switching speeds. 1 They are regarded as among the most interesting emerging technologies on the ITRS roadmap. 2 Carbon nanotubes are particularly interesting as NEMS components due to their low mobile mass and high Young's modulus, which enables high speed, combined with their high mechanical strength and ability to withstand extreme conditions of temperature and radiation exposure. The predicted possibility of tuning the resonance frequency over a large range by the application of a gate voltage 3 is particularly promising for many applications. Here we present a direct transmission measurement of the resonance frequency of an individual singly clamped carbon nanofiber relay. The experimental results verify the predictions of a small signal model and provide important information for determining the practicality of using carbon-based NEMS as components in real electrical circuits.Some prototype carbon NEMS have been reported in the literature, 4-11 but there have been relatively few experimental studies of the high frequency properties of carbon NEMS based on individual carbon nanotubes. [12][13][14][15][16] The resonance frequencies of doubly clamped suspended singlewalled nanotubes (SWNT) have been determined using an indirect mixing technique with a lock-in amplifier. [12][13][14] The method requires a semiconducting nanotube and can therefore not be applied to the mechanically more rigid multiwalled nanotubes (MWNT) or nanofibers (CNF) that have been studied as a dc prototype NEMS and allow the fabrication of more varied device geometries. [4][5][6][7][8]10,11 The mechanical resonances of singly clamped MWNT have been observed in a field emission microscope, where the broadening of the field emission spot was observed as the nanotube was brought into mechanical resonance by the application of an ac voltage on a side gate. The resonance frequency of the MWNT could be tuned by an order of magnitude by increasing the bias voltage on the nanotube and thus increasing the tension. 15 The same technique has recently been used to demonstrate a so-called nanoradio. 16 Although all of these studies provide interesting information concerning the resonance properties of individual carbon nanotubes, they do not provide muchneeded information on the feasibility of integrating carbonbased NEMS in useful electronic circuits nor on the signal levels that can be expected. In this letter, we report the first direct transmission detection of the resonant behavior of a two-terminal carbon nanofiber relay. We compare the experimental data with the predictions of a small signal model, treating the CNF as a simple series resonator. Good agreement is obtained concerning the resonance amplitude, shape, and phase. We show that it is possible to measure the transmission of a single relay device; however, the signal level is very low and most practical applications will need to be based on arrays of such st...

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Tuning of Nanotube Mechanical Resonances by Electric Field Pulling

Cited by 212 publications

References 10 publications

Carbon nanotubes as nanoelectromechanical systems

Carbon nanotubes as nanoelectromechanical systems

Atomic-Scale Mass Sensing Using Carbon Nanotube Resonators

Direct Transmission Detection of Tunable Mechanical Resonance in an Individual Carbon Nanofiber Relay

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