Letter abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 2, 413 - 416 (2007)
Published online: 24 June 2007 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2007.179
Subject Categories: Carbon nanotubes and fullerenes | Electronic properties and devices | NEMS
Electromechanical response of single-walled carbon nanotubes to torsional strain in a self-contained device
Adam R. Hall1, Michael R. Falvo1,2, Richard Superfine1,2,3 & Sean Washburn1,2,3,4
Abstract
Nanoscale electronics seeks to decrease the critical dimension of devices in order to improve performance while reducing power consumption. Single-walled carbon nanotubes fit well with this strategy because, in addition to their molecular size, they demonstrate a number of unique electronic, mechanical and electromechanical properties. In particular, theory1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 predicts that strain can have a large effect on the band structure of a nanotube, which, in turn, has an influence on its electron transport properties. This has been demonstrated in experiments where axial strain was applied by a scanning probe9, 10, 11, 12. Theory also predicts that torsional strain can influence transport properties, which was observed recently in multiwalled nanotubes13. Here we present the first experimental evidence of an electromechanical effect from torsional strain in single-walled nanotubes, and also the first measurements of piezoresistive response in a self-contained nanotube-based nanoelectromechanical structure.
- Curriculum in Applied and Materials Sciences
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
Correspondence to: Sean Washburn1,2,3,4 e-mail: sean@physics.unc.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Carbon nanotubes Bandgap engineering with strainNature Materials News and Views (01 Jul 2003)
Nanocomposites Remote-controlled actuatorsNature Materials News and Views (01 Jun 2005)
See all 7 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Torsional electromechanical quantum oscillations in carbon nanotubesNature Nanotechnology Letter (01 Oct 2006)
Nanoscale memory cell based on a nanoelectromechanical switched capacitorNature Nanotechnology Letter (01 Jan 2008)
See all 53 matches for Research
