Graphene-based nanodynamometer

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel graphene-based nanodynamometer that measures force through changes in conductance caused by layer displacement, with potential applications in nanoscale force sensing.

Contribution

It proposes a new electromechanical nanodynamometer design based on bilayer graphene's relative displacement and conductance changes, supported by first-principles calculations.

Findings

Conductance varies with interlayer displacement.

The nanodynamometer's characteristics are quantitatively determined.

Potential applications in nanoscale force measurement.

Abstract

A new concept of an electromechanical nanodynamometer based on the relative displacement of layers of bilayer graphene is proposed. In this nanodynamometer, force acting on one of the graphene layers causes the relative displacement of this layer and related change of conductance between the layers. Such a force can be determined by measurements of the tunneling conductance between the layers. Dependences of the interlayer interaction energy and the conductance between the graphene layers on their relative position are calculated within the first-principles approach corrected for van der Waals interactions and the Bardeen method, respectively. The characteristics of the nanodynamometer are determined and its possible applications are discussed.