Micromachined Resonant Frequency Tuning Unit for Torsional Resonator.

Achieving the desired resonant frequency of resonators has been an important issue, since it determines their performance. This paper presents the design and analysis of two concepts for the resonant frequency tuning of resonators. The proposed methods are based on the stiffness alteration of the springs by geometrical modification (shaft-widening) or by mechanical restriction (shaft-holding) using micromachined frequency tuning units. Our designs have advantages in (1) reversible and repetitive tuning; (2) decoupled control over the amplitude of the resonator and the tuning ratio; and (3) a wide range of applications including torsional resonators. The ability to tune the frequency by both methods is predicted by finite element analysis (FEA) and experimentally verified on a torsional resonator driven by an electrostatic actuator. The tuning units and resonators are fabricated on a double silicon-on-insulator (DSOI) wafer to electrically insulate the resonator from the tuning units. The shaft-widening type and shaft-holding type exhibit a maximum tuning ratio of 5.29% and 10.7%, respectively.

A highly sensitive flexible strain sensor based on the contact resistance change of carbon nanotube bundles.

A novel carbon nanotube (CNT)-based flexible strain sensor with the highest gauge factor of 4739 is presented. CNT-to-CNT contacts are fabricated on a pair of silicon electrodes fixed on a PDMS specimen for both flexibility and electrical connection. The strain is detected by the resistance change between facing CNT bundles. The proposed approach could be applied for diverse applications with a high gauge factor.

Low-Temperature Selective Growth of Tungsten Oxide Nanowires by Controlled Nanoscale Stress Induction.

We report a unique approach for the patterned growth of single-crystalline tungsten oxide (WOx) nanowires based on localized stress-induction. Ions implanted into the desired growth area of WOx thin films lead to a local increase in the compressive stress, leading to the growth of nanowire at lower temperatures (600 °C vs. 750-900 °C) than for equivalent non-implanted samples. Nanowires were successfully grown on the microscale patterns using wafer-level ion implantation and on the nanometer scale patterns using a focused ion beam (FIB). Experimental results show that nanowire growth is influenced by a number of factors including the dose of the implanted ions and their atomic radius. The implanted-ion-assisted, stress-induced method proposed here for the patterned growth of WOx nanowires is simpler than alternative approaches and enhances the compatibility of the process by reducing the growth temperature.

Using confined self-adjusting carbon nanotube arrays as high-sensitivity displacement sensing element.

Displacement sensing is a fundamental process in mechanical sensors such as force sensors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, and gyroscopes. Advanced techniques utilizing nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention in the drive to enhance the process. In this paper, we propose a novel and highly sensitive device for detecting small displacements. The device utilizes the changes in contact resistance between two sets of vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays, the growth of which was confined to enable their facile and reliable integration with fully fabricated microstructures. Using the displacement transduction of the proposed device, we successfully demonstrated a 3-axis wide bandwidth accelerometer, which was experimentally confirmed to be highly sensitive compared to conventional piezoresistive sensors. Through a test involving 1.2 million cycles of displacement transductions, the contact resistance of the CNT arrays was proved to be excellently stable, which was a consequence of the high electrical stability and mechanical durability of the CNTs.

Investigation of interfacial adhesion between the top ends of carbon nanotubes.

Understanding the interfacial forces of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is fundamental to the development of electromechanical systems based on the contact of CNTs. However, experimental studies on the adhesion properties between CNTs are scarce despite the remarkable contact quality of CNTs. Here, we present an experimental investigation of the adhesion between the top ends of aligned, self-adjusted CNTs using a CNT-integrated microelectromechanical actuator. The pull-out and pull-in behaviors of the contact as a function of the applied force by the actuator are precisely identified by measuring the contact resistance between the CNTs. The adhesion between the top ends of individual CNTs is extracted from the measured adhesive strength between the CNT arrays, and it agrees with the theoretical values of the van der Waals interactions. By exploiting the adhesion of the CNT-to-CNT contact, a programmable and reliable microelectromechanical switching device is demonstrated. Our results offer design strategies for diverse CNT-based nano- and microelectromechanical devices that need repeatable contacting interfaces.

Reversible and continuous latching using a carbon internanotube interface.

Mechanical multistability is greatly beneficial in microelectromechanical systems because it offers multiple stable positioning of movable microstructures without a continuous energy supply. Although mechanical latching components based on multistability have been widely used in microsystems, their latching positions are inherently discrete and the number of stable positions is quite limited because of the lithographical minimum feature size limit of microstructures. We report a novel use of aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays as latching elements in a movable micromechanical device. This CNT-array-based latching mechanism allows stable latching at multiple latching positions, together with reversible and bidirectional latching capabilities. The latching element with integrated CNTs on the sidewalls of microstructures can be adopted for diverse microelectromechanical systems that need precise positioning of movable structures without the necessity of continuous power consumption.