Low Voltage Nanoelectromechanical Switches Based on Silicon Carbide Nanowires

We report experimental demonstrations of electrostatically actuated, contact-mode nanoelectromechanical switches based on very thin silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires (NWs). These NWs are lithographically patterned from a 50 nm thick SiC layer heteroepitaxially grown on single-crystal silicon (Si). Several generic designs of in-plane electrostatic SiC NW switches have been realized, with NW widths as small as ∼20 nm and lateral switching gaps as narrow as ∼10 nm. Very low switch-on voltages are obtained, from a few volts down to ∼1 V level. Two-terminal, contact-mode “hot” switching with high on/off ratios (>102 or 103) has been demonstrated repeatedly for many devices. We find enhanced switching performance in bare SiC NWs, with lifetimes exceeding those based on metallized SiC NWs.