Direct mechanical mixing in a nanoelectromechanical diode

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates direct mechanical mixing in a nanoelectromechanical transistor operating at RF frequencies, enabling potential applications in sensitive detection and high-throughput signal processing.

Contribution

It reports the first observation of mechanical mixing in nanoelectromechanical transistors fabricated in semiconductor materials at RF frequencies.

Findings

Non-linear IV-characteristic enables RF mixing

Device operates in 10-1000 MHz range

Potential for ultrasensitive detection and signal processing

Abstract

We observe direct mechanical mixing in nanoelectromechanical transistors fabricated in semiconductor materials operating in the radio frequency band of 10-1000 MHz. The device is made of a mechanically flexible pillar with a length of 240 nm and a diameter of 50 nm, placed between two electrodes in an impedance matched coplanar wave guide. We find a non-linear IV-characteristic, which enables radio frequency mixing of two electromagnetic signals via the nanomechanical transistor. Potential applications for this mixer are ultrasensitive displacement detection or signal processing in communication electronic circuits requiring high-throughput insulation.