Schematics and Atomistic Simulations of Nanomemory Element Based on Carbon Tube-to-Peapod Transition

Abstract

We suggested and investigated a nonvolatile nanomemory element based on carbon nanopeapods using molecular dynamics simulations. The suggested system was composed of two carbon nanotubes and fully ionized endo-fullerenes. The two carbon nanotubes were placed face to face and the endo-fullerenes came and went between the two carbon nanotubes under alternatively applied force fields. Since the electronic properties of carbon nanotubes are changed by the endo-fullerene intercalation, the bit classifications can be achieved from the detection of these changes by the endo-fullerenes intercalation under the applied force fields. Since the endo-fullerenes encapsulated in the carbon nanotubes hardly escape from the carbon nanotubes, the proposed system can be considered to be a nonvolatile memory device. Several switching processes were investigated for external force fields and temperatures using molecular dynamics simulations.