title: Low voltage nanoelectromechanical switches based on silicon carbide nanowires.
abstract: We report experimental demonstrations of electrostatically actuated, contact-mode nanoelectromechanical switches based on very thin silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires (NWs). These NWs are lithographically patterned from a 50 nm thick SiC layer heteroepitaxially grown on single-crystal silicon (Si). Several generic designs of in-plane electrostatic SiC NW switches have been realized, with NW widths as small as approximately 20 nm and lateral switching gaps as narrow as approximately 10 nm. Very low switch-on voltages are obtained, from a few volts down to approximately 1 V level. Two-terminal, contact-mode "hot" switching with high on/off ratios (>10(2) or 10(3)) has been demonstrated repeatedly for many devices. We find enhanced switching performance in bare SiC NWs, with lifetimes exceeding those based on metallized SiC NWs.
authors.affiliation: Kavli Nanoscience Institute, Mail Code 114-36, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Matheny
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Zorman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehregany
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Roukes