Shuttle instability induced by an ac gate in a nanoelectromechanical single-electron transistor

Abstract

We theoretically investigate shuttle instability induced by an ac gate in a nanoelectromechanical single-electron transistor containing a moveable grain. The ac gate causes periodic variations of charge on the grain, which turn (in the bias field) to driving force of grain vibrations. The forced grain vibrations and related electron transport show drastic and hysteretic changes for variations of the bias or the gate frequency due to transitions in transport mechanisms between tunneling and shuttling.