Magnetomotive Instability and Generation of Mechanical Vibrations in Suspended Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes

• We investigate the electromechanics of a freely suspended semiconducting carbon nanotube subjected to a magnetic field H in the current-biased regime and show that self-excitation of mechanical nanotube vibrations can occur if H exceeds a critical value Hc of the order of 10–100 mT. The effect can be detected by measuring the magnetic field dependence of the time-averaged voltage drop across the nanotube, which has a singularity at H=Hc. We discuss the applications of the device as an active, tuneable radiofrequency oscillator.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

carbon nanotube

oscillator

self oscillation

magnetomotive instability

carbon nanotube

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)