Nonlinear dynamics of a doubly clamped carbon nanotube resonator considering surface stress

Doubly clamped carbon nanotube (CNT) resonators have received much attention due to their large stiffness, low density and small cross-section, making them suitable as highly sensitive mass sensors and signal processing units. In this paper, a new study on the dynamic performance of such resonators taking account of the surface effect has been performed and interesting findings have been unveiled. It is found that the surface effect causes increased resonant frequency, with the whirling and chaotic motions appearing at much higher driving forces. For the first time, the whirling motions for the centre point of the resonator in the Y–Z plane are found to display various Lissajous loops under different driving conditions. Based on the nonlinear analysis, a new application of the resonator for accelerometers has been postulated and analyzed.