Spin controlled nanomechanics induced by single-electron tunneling

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electron tunneling in a nanowire can induce self-sustained mechanical vibrations through magnetomotive coupling, revealing conditions for instability and stable oscillations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism linking single-electron tunneling to nanomechanical vibrations via magnetomotive effects, with derived criteria for instability.

Findings

Self-excitation of nanowire vibrations due to electron tunneling

Conditions for mechanical instability and stable oscillations

Influence of magnetic field and spin polarization on nanomechanics

Abstract

We consider dc-electronic transport through a nanowire suspended between normal- and spin-polarized metal leads in the presence of an external magnetic field. We show that magnetomotive coupling between the electrical current through the nanowire and vibrations of the wire may result in self excitation of mechanical vibrations. The self-excitation mechanism is based on correlations between the occupancy of the quantized electronic energy levels inside the nanowire and the velocity of the nanowire. We derive conditions for the occurrence of the instability and find stable regimes of mechanical oscillations.