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Robust Carbon‐Nanotube‐Based Nano‐electromechanical Devices: Understanding and Eliminating Prevalent Failure Modes Using Alternative Electrode Materials
Author(s) -
Loh Owen,
Wei Xiaoding,
Ke Changhong,
Sullivan John,
Espinosa Horacio D.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201001166
Subject(s) - multiphysics , materials science , carbon nanotube , nanotechnology , characterization (materials science) , electrode , nano , reliability (semiconductor) , carbon fibers , composite material , finite element method , structural engineering , engineering , composite number , power (physics) , chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
The failure modes common to widely pursued carbon‐nanotube‐based nano‐electromechanical systems are investigated. A fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms for failure and their relation to the device design space is developed through complementary in situ electromechanical characterization and dynamic multiphysics models. It is then found that the facile replacement of commonly used metal thin‐film electrodes with diamondlike carbon structures leads to a dramatic improvement in reliability. This enables experimental demonstration of numerous actuation cycles without failure, and reliable application to volatile memory operations.