Kick-induced rectified current in symmetric nano-electromechanical shuttle

We have studied the rectified current in a geometrically symmetric nano-electromechanical shuttle with periodic kicks and sinusoidal ac bias voltages. The rectified current is exactly zero under the geometrical symmetry which is generated by the electrons transferred from source to drain electrodes through the movable shuttle. We investigate the nonzero rectified currents through the symmetric shuttle with regular motion of which the time-translational symmetry is broken. The motion of the shuttle, moreover, becomes chaotic with the same mechanism of the kicked rotor and generates the scattered current as increasing kick strength. We point out that the time-translational-symmetry breaking of the instantaneous current is an important role of manipulation of the rectified current.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

NASA Tech Briefs, July 2008

Topics covered include: Torque Sensor Based on Tunnel-Diode Oscillator; Shaft-Angle Sensor Based on Tunnel-Diode Oscillator; Ground Facility for Vicarious Calibration of Skyborne Sensors; Optical Pressure-Temperature Sensor for a Combustion Chamber; Impact-Locator Sensor Panels; Low-Loss Waveguides for Terahertz Frequencies; MEMS/ECD Method for Making Bi(2-x)Sb(x)Te3 Thermoelectric Devices; Low-Temperature Supercapacitors; Making a Back-Illuminated Imager with Back-Side Contact and Alignment Markers; Compact, Single-Stage MMIC InP HEMT Amplifier; Nb(x)Ti(1-x)N Superconducting-Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors; Improved Sand-Compaction Method for Lost-Foam Metal Casting; Improved Probe for Evaluating Compaction of Mold Sand; Polymer-Based Composite Catholytes for Li Thin-Film Cells; Using ALD To Bond CNTs to Substrates and Matrices; Alternating-Composition Layered Ceramic Barrier Coatings; Variable-Structure Control of a Model Glider Airplane; Axial Halbach Magnetic Bearings; Compact, Non-Pneumatic Rock-Powder Samplers; Biochips Containing Arrays of Carbon-Nanotube Electrodes; Nb(x)Ti(1-x)N Superconducting-Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors; Neon as a Buffer Gas for a Mercury-Ion Clock; Miniature Incandescent Lamps as Fiber-Optic Light Sources; Bidirectional Pressure-Regulator System; and Prism Window for Optical Alignment. Single-Grid-Pair Fourier Telescope for Imaging in Hard-X Rays and gamma Rays Range-Gated Metrology with Compact Optical Head Lossless, Multi-Spectral Data Compressor for Improved Compression for Pushbroom-Typetruments

Acoustic Waves

The concept of acoustic wave is a pervasive one, which emerges in any type of medium, from solids to plasmas, at length and time scales ranging from sub-micrometric layers in microdevices to seismic waves in the Sun's interior. This book presents several aspects of the active research ongoing in this field. Theoretical efforts are leading to a deeper understanding of phenomena, also in complicated environments like the solar surface boundary. Acoustic waves are a flexible probe to investigate the properties of very different systems, from thin inorganic layers to ripening cheese to biological systems. Acoustic waves are also a tool to manipulate matter, from the delicate evaporation of biomolecules to be analysed, to the phase transitions induced by intense shock waves. And a whole class of widespread microdevices, including filters and sensors, is based on the behaviour of acoustic waves propagating in thin layers. The search for better performances is driving to new materials for these devices, and to more refined tools for their analysis

Ultra-High Frequency Nanoelectromechanical Systems with Low-Noise Technologies for Single-Molecule Mass Sensing

Advancing today's very rudimentary nanodevices toward functional nanosystems with considerable complexity and advanced performance imposes enormous challenges. This thesis presents the research on ultra-high frequency (UHF) nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) in combination with low-noise technologies that enable single-molecule mass sensing and offer promises for NEMS-based mass spectrometry (MS) with single-Dalton sensitivity. The generic protocol for NEMS resonant mass sensing is based on real-time locking and tracking of the resonance frequency as it is shifted by the mass-loading effect. This has been implemented in two modes: (i) creating an active self-sustaining oscillator based on the NEMS resonator, and (ii) a higher-precision external oscillator phase-locking to and tracking the NEMS resonance. The first UHF low-noise self-sustaining NEMS oscillator has been demonstrated by using a 428MHz vibrating NEMS resonator as the frequency reference. This stable UHF NEMS oscillator exhibits ~0.3ppm frequency stability and ~50zg (1zg = 10-21 g) mass resolution with its excellent wideband-operation (~0.2MHz) capability. Given its promising phase noise performance, the active NEMS oscillator technology also offers important potentials for realizing NEMS-based radio-frequency (RF) local oscillators, voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), and synchronized oscillators and arrays that could lead to nanomechanical signal processing and communication. The demonstrated NEMS oscillator operates at much higher frequency than conventional crystal oscillators and their overtones do, which opens new possibilities for the ultimate miniaturization of advanced crystal oscillators. Low-noise phase-locked loop (PLL) techniques have been developed and engineered to integrate with the resonance detection circuitry for the passive UHF NEMS resonators. Implementations of the NEMS-PLL mode with generations of low-loss UHF NEMS resonators demonstrate improving performance, namely, reduced noise and enhanced dynamic range. Very compelling frequency stability of ~0.02ppm and unprecedented mass sensitivity approaching 1zg has been achieved with a typical 500MHz device in the narrow-band NEMS-PLL operation. Retaining high quality factors (Q's) while scaling up frequency has become crucial for UHF NEMS resonators. Extensive measurements, together with theoretical modeling, have been performed to investigate various energy loss mechanisms and their effects on UHF devices. This leads to important insights and guidelines for device Q-engineering. The first VHF/UHF silicon nanowire (NW) resonators have been demonstrated based on single-crystal Si NWs made by bottom-up chemical synthesis nanofabrication. Pristine Si NWs have well-faceted surfaces and exhibit high Q's (Q ≈ 13100 at 80MHz and Q ≈ 5750 at 215MHz). Given their ultra-small active mass and very high mass responsivity, these Si NWs also offer excellent mass sensitivity in the ~10?50zg range. These UHF NEMS and electronic control technologies have demonstrated promising mass sensitivity for kilo-Dalton-range single-biomolecule mass sensing. The achieved performance roadmap, and that extended by next generations of devices, clearly indicates realistic and viable paths toward the single-Dalton mass sensitivity. With further elaborate engineering, prototype NEMS-MS is optimistically within reach.</p

A table-top demonstration of radiation pressure

Die Beobachtung, dass Licht Strahlungsdruck ausüben kann, geht zurück auf die bahnbrechenden Experimente von Lebedew, Nichols und Hull im Jahr 1901. Ein einfaches Experiment zeigt, dass die Dynamik zwischen Licht und einem mikro-mechanischen Spiegel auf Umgebungstemperatur im Vakuum demonstriert werden kann. Unsere Arbeit wird durch die Entwicklung von millimetergroßen mechanischen Hebeln ermöglicht. Diese sind hochreflektierend ($> 99,99 \%$), haben eine sehr niedrige Federkonstante ($0,031 \pm 0,003 N / m - 0,0009 \pm 0,0001 N / m$) und sehr niedrige optische Absorption ($<100 ppm$). Mit Hilfe dieser Geräte in einer optische Hebelanordnung ist uns der Nachweis des Strahlungsdrucks bei Raumtemperatur an der Luft und bei niedriger Laserleistung ($<10 mW$) gelungen. Zudem wird auch die Positionsänderung der mechanischen Hebel aufgrund des Strahlungsdrucks bei niedrigerem Druck überprüft.The observation of the momentum transfer of light, the so-called radiation pressure, goes back to the seminal experiments by Lebedew and by Nichols and Hull in 1901. Up to now, all experimental demonstrations of this effect with macroscopic mirrors relied on a well-shielded experimental environment and were operated in vacuum and at high light powers. This work describes a simple table-top experiment that illustrates the momentum transfer between light and a suspended mechanical mirror both under ambient conditions and in a low - pressure environment. Our work is enabled by the development of millimeter-sized cantilevers of high reflectivity ($> 99.99\%$), very low spring constant ($\approx 0.031 \pm 0.003$ N/m to $0.0009 \pm 0.0001$ N/m ) and very low levels of optical absorption ($< 100$ ppm). Using these devices in an optical lever arrangement we demonstrate radiation pressure effects while operating in air, at room temperature and with only modest ($< 10$ mW) laser power. The behaviour of the cantilevers at low pressures is used to validate the nature of the radiation - pressure effect

Riveting two-dimensional materials: exploring strain physics in atomically thin crystals with microelectromechanical systems

Two dimensional (2D) materials can withstand an order of magnitude more strain than their bulk counterparts, which results in dramatic changes to electrical, thermal and optical properties. These changes can be harnessed for technological applications such as tunable light emitting diodes or field effect transistors, or utilized to explore novel physics like exciton confinement, pseudo-magnetic fields (PMFs), and even quantum gravity. However, current techniques for straining atomically thin materials offer limited control over the strain field, and require bulky pressure chambers or large beam bending equipment. This dissertation describes the development of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) as a platform for precisely controlling the magnitude and orientation of the strain field in 2D materials. MEMS are a versatile platform for studying strain physics. Mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical probes can all be easily incorporated into their design. Further, because of their small size and compatibility with electronics manufacturing methods, there is an achievable pathway from the laboratory bench to real-world application. Nevertheless, the incorporation of atomically thin crystals with MEMS has been hampered by fragile, non-planer structures and low friction interfaces. We have innovated two techniques to overcome these critical obstacles: micro-structure assisted transfer to place the 2D materials on the MEMS gently and precisely, and micro-riveting to create a slip-free interface between the 2D materials and MEMS. With these advancements, we were able to strain monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to greater than 1\% strain with a MEMS for the first time. The dissertation develops the theoretical underpinnings of this result including original work on the theory of operation of MEMS chevron actuators, and strain generated PMFs in transition metal dichalcogenides, a large class of 2D materials. We conclude the dissertation with a roadmap to guide and inspire future physicists and engineers exploring strain in 2D systems and their applications. The roadmap contains ideas for next-generation fabrication techniques to improve yield, sample quality, and add capabilities. We have also included in the roadmap proposals for experiments such as a speculative technique for realizing topological quantum field theories that mimics recent theoretical wire construction methods