Premium
A Mobile Sn Nanowire Inside a β‐ Ga 2 O 3 Tube: A Practical Nanoscale Electrically/Thermally Driven Switch
Author(s) -
Zou Rujia,
Zhang Zhenyu,
Tian Qiwei,
Ma Guanxing,
Song Guosheng,
Chen Zhigang,
Hu Junqing
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.201101204
Subject(s) - nanowire , materials science , nanoscopic scale , nanotechnology , tube (container) , miniaturization , optoelectronics , thermometer , fabrication , drop (telecommunication) , supercooling , atmospheric temperature range , composite material , electrical engineering , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , meteorology , engineering , thermodynamics , medicine
Nanoelectromechanical system switches are seen as key devices for fast switching in communication networks since they can be switched between transmitting and receiving states with an electrostatic command. Herein, the fabrication of practical, nanoscale electrically/thermally driven switches is reported based on a mobile Sn nanowire inside a β‐ Ga 2 O 3 tube. The melting point of Sn inside the Ga 2 O 3 tube is found to be as low as 58 °C—far below the value of bulk Sn (231.89 °C)—and its crystal phase ( β ‐Sn) remains unchanged even at temperatures as low as –170 °C. Thus a miniaturization of the unique wide‐temperature‐range thermometer based on the linear thermal expansion of liquid Sn fillings in the Ga 2 O 3 tube is realized. In addition, the electrical properties of the Sn‐nanowire‐filled β‐ Ga 2 O 3 tubes are carefully determined: importantly, the resistance demonstrates a sudden drop (rise) when two Sn nanowires contact (separate), due to the thermally driven motion of the liquid Sn fillings inside the tube. Thus this structure can be switched between its on and off states by controlling the motion, merging or splitting, of the Sn nanowires inside the tube, either electrically, by applying a current, or thermally, at a predetermined temperature.