Nanoelectromechanical Bistable Cantilever Device

Nano-cantilever Bi-stable Proximity Sensor/Probe NU 2004-054 Inventors Horacio D Espinosa* Changhong Ke Nicolaie A Moldovan Short Description A novel feedback controlled bi-stable nano-cantilever as logic switches and sensing device. Abstract A novel nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) is developed at Northwestern, which has bi-stable states to enable the proximity sensing/probing, on/off logic switch and other various applications. Due to the interesting structural characteristic and nano-scale feature size, NEMS is promising for superior electronic components and sensors. Northwestern's NEMS bi-stable device is based on a nano-cantilever using carbon nanotube (CNT) or silicon nanowire (NW) material structure. With voltage applied, it can achieve the two equilibrium positions for functions (the pull-in and the pull-out configurations). This NEMS device is applicable to a wide range of applications including gap sensing devices, scanning probe microscope, ultrasonic wave detector, logic devices, nano-scale switches, random-access memory elements, electron counters, and bio-sensors. Applications o NEMS switch, random access memory elements and logic nano-devices o Scanning probe microscope, gap sensor and ultrasonic wave detection o Bio-sensor Advantages o Nano-scale structure size o Feedback controlled o Easy integration to current microelectronics technology o Wide applicability Publications Changhong Ke and Horacio D. Espinosa, "In Situ Electron Microscopy Electromechanical Characterization of a Bistable NEMS Device", Small, 2006, 2, No. 12, 1484-1489, DOI: 10.1002/smll.200600271, Changhong Ke and Horacio D. Espinosa, "Feedback Controlled Nanocantilever Device", Applied Physics Letters, 2004, Vol. 85, No. 4. IP Status Issued US patent No. 7,612,424 Marketing Contact Arjan Quist, PhD Invention Asssociate (p): 847-467-0305 (e): arjan.quist@northwestern.edu