Evaluation of Piezoresistive Effects for Carbon Nanowire using MEMS Actuators

This research develops Electrostatic Actuated NAno Tensile testing devices (EANATs) to evaluate mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanowires fabricated by focus ion beam assisted chemical vapor deposition (FIB-CVD). This research measured I-V characteristics of carbon nanowires, with diameters ranging from 88 nm to 129 nm, under tensile loading in order to evaluate the gauge factor of nanowires. The averaged gauge factor of 0.7 is lower than that of hydrogenated amorphous C films. Discussion of the mechanical and electrical properties of the nanowires is made from scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) observations.