A study of carbon-nanotube-based nanoelectromechanical resonators tuned by shear strain

▸ Tunable gigahertz-resonators, which is based on the application of a shear-strained carbon-nanotube. ▸ These can be used repeatedly and operate at a single frequency or have a relatively narrow frequency range. ▸ Shear-strain-induced tension response is given serious consideration in the application of embedded carbon nanotubes. This paper has investigated, using a classical molecular dynamics simulation method based on the Tersoff–Brenner potential, the resonance-frequency changes of single-walled carbon-nanotube resonators originating from the purely mechanical response of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The tension decreased with increasing rotation angle, so the resonance frequencies could be changed by controlling the rotation angles of the single-walled carbon nanotubes. The resonance frequencies decreased with increasing angle, and when the rotation angle was greater than 60°, the changes were marked. For nanotubes of similar length, the bandwidth for the (3, 3) single-walled carbon nanotube was higher than for the (5, 0) single-walled carbon nanotube. Because properties arising from the shear-strain-induced tension response can affect the electromechanical behavior of carbon nanotubes, the shear-strain-induced tension response should be given serious consideration in the application of embedded carbon nanotubes in nanoelectromechanical systems.