Dynamics and Dissipation induced by Single-Electron Tunneling in Carbon Nanotube Nanoelectromechanical Systems

TL;DR

This paper investigates how single-electron tunneling affects the mechanical motion of a carbon nanotube NEMS, revealing dependence on electronic environment and potential for high quality factors.

Contribution

It demonstrates the influence of SET on nanotube NEMS motion and identifies parameters affecting dissipation and frequency response.

Findings

SET impacts nanomechanical frequency and dissipation.

Quality factors of 10^6 are achievable with optimized conditions.

Electronic environment critically influences NEMS behavior.

Abstract

We demonstrate the effect of single-electron tunneling (SET) through a carbon nanotube quantum dot on its nanomechanical motion. We find that the frequency response and the dissipation of the nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) to SET strongly depends on the electronic environment of the quantum dot, in particular on the total dot capacitance and the tunnel coupling to the metal contacts. Our findings suggest that one could achieve quality factors of 10$^{6}$ or higher by choosing appropriate gate dielectrics and/or by improving the tunnel coupling to the leads.