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Researchers Develop Bistable Nanoswitch, From Northwestern University NewsCenter

Northwestern Researchers Develop Bistable Nanoswitch, From Small Times

I group I did research with for a short time at Northwestern University, under Horacio Espinosa, recently demonstrated a bistable nanoswitch.

But what does this mean?

The device represents a major breakthrough in nanotechnology (meaning the practical application of nano-scale science). Carbon nanotubes look like hollow hot dogs. The nanotube used in this experiment is multiwalled meaning one hollow hotdog within a larger hollow hotdog. You would have to bundle many of these together to get something recognizable as a human hair. The tube was mounted on the end of a probe and maneuvered over a small electrode. Having not read the original paper, my best guess is that by manipulating the voltage in probe, the nanotube becomes more or less able to tunnel electons (see quantum mechanics) and complete the circuit.

Additionally, in electronics, diodes are used as switches (or gates). For high tolerance applications they become problematic because they are not in fact a clean on or off (like a light switch). Their two states are modeled by a regression curve that goes from pretty close to fully on to pretty close to fully off over a period of time. While this is also the case with MEMS and NEMS switches, the curve is more clearly defined and on and off come much closer to their theoretical values (because the switch is a mechanical connection). A nano switch, such as the one demonstrated is on a length-scale appropriate for integrated circuitry with the potential benefits mentioned in the article.

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