Static and Dynamic Analysis of Carbon Nano Tube Cantilever for Nano Electro Mechanical Systems Based Applications

Abstract

The cantilever is the most basic form of the MEMS and NEMS-based applications. It may include actuators and sensors in multiple domains for the detection of deflections due to change in mass and charge from atomic to sub-atomic levels. The main constraints in the real-time environment for sensing applications are good sensitivity and selectivity along with good response time and wide dynamic range. CNTs (Carbon Nano Tubes) possess excellent electrical characteristics with good mechanical strength like elasticity, flexibility, tensile strength and good thermal conductivity. These properties make use of CNTs in NEMS that gives rise to good sensing platforms. In this paper we propose, design and analysis of CNT based Cantilever structure using FEM to determine the change in deflection due to varying load under static analysis. Similarly from dynamic analysis change in resonance frequency for change in thickness of Cantilever is performed. From the experimental results using COMSOL simulation, it is observed that the CNT based Cantilever deflection sensitivity is 9.85 x 10-8 m under maximum stress of 6.71 x 10-9 N/m2. From the dynamic analysis, resonant frequency occurs at 1.8 x 107 Hz for 10 nm thickness and for 50 nm is 7.5 x 107 Hz respectively.