Template-grown metal nanowires as resonators: performance and characterization of dissipative and elastic properties

Nano Lett. 2007 Nov;7(11):3281-4. doi: 10.1021/nl071416e. Epub 2007 Oct 30.

Abstract

Metal resonators can significantly extend the scope of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) through access to a broader range of electrical, thermal, and surface properties. The material behavior of template-electrodeposited gold (Au) and rhodium (Rh) nanowires (NWs) and their performance as resonators was investigated. Nanowire integration by a bottom-up assembly scheme enabled creation of fixed-free metal beams without distortion or tension. Surprisingly, even a soft metal such as Au yielded viable nanocantilever resonators, with Q-factors of 600-950 in high vacuum, while stiffer RhNW had Q-factors of 1100-1300. NWs with diameter approximately 300 nm yield Young's modulus values of 44 +/- 12 GPa for Au and 222 +/- 70 GPa for Rh, both lower than bulk values. This observation is in agreement with two other measurement techniques.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Elasticity
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rhodium / chemistry

Substances

  • Gold
  • Rhodium