Electromechanical instability in suspended carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper theoretically explores how suspended carbon nanotubes can undergo a shuttle-like electromechanical instability at certain bias voltages, leading to large vibrations that affect their electrical behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model predicting electromechanical instability in suspended carbon nanotubes under specific bias conditions.

Findings

Instability occurs above a threshold bias voltage.

Large amplitude vibrations modify current-voltage characteristics.

The instability is dissipation-dependent.

Abstract

We have theoretically investigated electromechanical properties of freely suspended carbon nanotubes when a current is injected into the tubes using a scanning tunneling microscope. We show that a shuttle-like electromechanical instability can occur if the bias voltage exceeds a dissipation-dependent threshold value. An instability results in large amplitude vibrations of the carbon nanotube bending mode, which modify the current-voltage characteristics of the system.