1. Laboratory of Atomic and Solid-State Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
2. These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence to: Paul L. McEuen Email: mceuen@ccmr.cornell.edu

Abstract

Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) hold promise for a number of scientific and technological applications. In particular, NEMS oscillators have been proposed for use in ultrasensitive mass detection^{1, 2}, radio-frequency signal processing^{3, 4}, and as a model system for exploring quantum phenomena in macroscopic systems^{5, 6}. Perhaps the ultimate material for these applications is a carbon nanotube. They are the stiffest material known, have low density, ultrasmall cross-sections and can be defect-free. Equally important, a nanotube can act as a transistor⁷ and thus may be able to sense its own motion. In spite of this great promise, a room-temperature, self-detecting nanotube oscillator has not been realized, although some progress has been made^{8, 9, 10, 11, 12}. Here we report the electrical actuation and detection of the guitar-string-like oscillation modes of doubly clamped nanotube oscillators. We show that the resonance frequency can be widely tuned and that the devices can be used to transduce very small forces.

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