Buckled Diamond-like Carbon Nanomechanical Resonators

TL;DR

This paper presents the development of buckled diamond-like carbon nanomechanical resonators with enhanced frequency tuning potential, suitable for RF applications like tunable filters and oscillators.

Contribution

It introduces a novel buckled DLC nanomechanical resonator design with capacitively transduced actuation, demonstrating increased frequency tuning capabilities.

Findings

Observed larger than expected frequency tuning due to buckling

Buckled resonators can improve RF device tunability

DLC films grown at 500°C are suitable for resonator fabrication

Abstract

We have developed capacitively-transduced nanomechanical resonators using sp$^2$-rich diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films as conducting membranes. The electrically conducting DLC films were grown by physical vapor deposition at a temperature of $500{\,\,}^\circ$C. Characterizing the resonant response, we find a larger than expected frequency tuning that we attribute to the membrane being buckled upwards, away from the bottom electrode. The possibility of using buckled resonators to increase frequency tuning can be of advantage in rf applications such as tunable GHz filters and voltage-controlled oscillators.