An Investigation of Mass Sensitivity of Fixed Free Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Based Nano Mechanical Sensors

Anand      Y. Joshi; Aashish      Bhatnagar; Satish      C. Sharma; S.      P. Harsha

doi:10.2174/157341310793348696

Abstract

In the present paper, the simulation of the mechanical responses of individual carbon nanotubes treated as thin shells has been done using finite element method. The resonant frequencies of the fixed free single wall carbon nanotube have been investigated. This analysis explores the resonant frequency shift of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes caused by the changes in the size of Carbon Nanotube in terms of length as well as the attached masses. The results showed the sensitivity of the single walled carbon nanotubes to different masses (attached to the tip and at the centre of Single Walled Carbon Nanotube) and different lengths. It has also observed that the mass sensitivity of carbon nanotube can reach upto 10-21 g of attached mass and the mass sensitivity increases when smaller size nanotubes resonators are used in mass sensors. In order to explore the suitability of the Single walled carbon nanotube as a mass detector device, the simulation results of the resonant frequency of fixed free Single Walled Carbon Nanotube are compared to the published experimental data. It is shown that the FEM simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data and hence the current modelling approach is suitable as a coupled-field design tool for the development of Single Walled Carbon Nanotube -based NEMS applications.

Keywords: Single walled carbon nanotube, mass sensor, FEM, nanotube resonators, nanooscillator, SWCNT, CNT, Euler, –, Bernoulli beam model, Young's modulus, density, frequency, moment of inertia, area, length, Electron beam-induced deposition, ANSYS, vibration, Resonant Frequency, femtograms, Finite Element Model