Carbon nanotube mechanical resonator in potential well induced by van der Waals interaction with graphene

Abstract

We demonstrate the control of a cantilever-type carbon-nanotube mechanical resonator in a potential well induced by van der Waals interaction with a graphene flake using molecular dynamics simulations. The energy potential profile for the resonator is successfully modulated by changing the graphene width. As a result of the potential profile modification, the resonance frequency can be markedly changed from the original value of 18.2 to 55 GHz by reducing the graphene width. Additionally, the nonlinear effect is easily developed even under the small amplitude regime around thermal vibration using a narrow graphene layer with a width of 10 Å.