Tuning Strain in Flexible Graphene Nanoelectromechanical Resonators

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for independently tuning and calibrating strain in graphene nanoelectromechanical resonators on flexible substrates, enabling detailed study of their nonlinear dynamics and phase behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a device platform combining substrate bending and electrostatic gating for independent strain tuning in GNEMRs, along with a comprehensive nonlinear dynamics analysis.

Findings

Successful fabrication of GNEMRs on flexible substrates

Demonstration of independent strain and sagging control

Development of a nonlinear dynamics phase diagram

Abstract

The structural flexibility of low dimensional nanomaterials offers unique opportunities for studying the impact of strain on their physical properties and for developing innovative devices utilizing strain engineering. A key towards such goals is a device platform which allows the independent tuning and reliable calibration of the strain. Here we report the fabrication and characterization of graphene nanoelectromechanical resonators(GNEMRs) on flexible substrates. Combining substrate bending and electrostatic gating, we achieve the independent tuning of the strain and sagging in graphene and explore the nonlinear dynamics over a wide parameter space. Analytical and numerical studies of a continuum mechanics model, including the competing higher order nonlinear terms, reveal a comprehensive nonlinear dynamics phase diagram, which quantitatively explains the complex behaviors of GNEMRs.