3D Finite Element Simulation of Graphene Nano-Electro-Mechanical Switches.

Jothiramalingam Kulothungan,Hiroshi Mizuta,Manoharan Muruganathan

doi:10.3390/mi7080143

Abstract

In this paper, we report the finite element method (FEM) simulation of double-clamped graphene nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches. Pull-in and pull-out characteristics are analyzed for graphene NEM switches with different dimensions and these are consistent with the experimental results. This numerical model is used to study the scaling nature of the graphene NEM switches. We show the possibility of achieving a pull-in voltage as low as 2 V for a 1.5-μm-long and 3-nm-thick nanocrystalline graphene beam NEM switch. In order to study the mechanical reliability of the graphene NEM switches, von Mises stress analysis is carried out. This analysis shows that a thinner graphene beam results in a lower von Mises stress. Moreover, a strong electrostatic force at the beam edges leads to a mechanical deflection at the edges larger than that around the center of the beam, which is consistent with the von Mises stress analysis.

Highlights

The standby power consumption of conventional complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits increases to the dynamic ON state level as they are scaled down to the scale of a few tens of nanometers [1]
The inherently low ON current in comparison with that of CMOS devices and the high pull-in voltage of conventional NEM switches restrict their use as a viable alternative for CMOS circuits and low-power applications [6,7]
We present a three dimensional (3D) finite element method (FEM) simulation of double-clamped nanocrystalline graphene beam NEM switches

Summary

Introduction

The standby power consumption of conventional complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits increases to the dynamic ON state level as they are scaled down to the scale of a few tens of nanometers [1]. The inherently low ON current in comparison with that of CMOS devices and the high pull-in voltage of conventional NEM switches restrict their use as a viable alternative for CMOS circuits and low-power applications [6,7]. These outstanding properties of graphene make it a very promising material for high-performance NEM contact switches.

Results

Conclusion