Nanochemical Resonators and Advanced Nanodynamics

The overall goals of the proposed research are: to advance, in a radical and pervasive way, the science of nano scale dynamics, and to employ this new science in creating a wholly new nanomechanical device technology. Some specific technical issues we wish to explore are:

1. In the case of dissipation, what is the source of the deviations from the predictions of simple scaling of the dissipation in these systems?


2. Do the acoustic properties of micro/nano sized materials scale and at what point does simple scaling break down?


3. At what temperature and under what conditions do quantum effects become important in the behavior of the nano-structures and what is the nature of these effects?


4. What are the relevant dynamics of nanomechanical arrays (e.g. do we observe 1-D vs. 2-D localization, etc.)?

The proposed effort leverages NRL successes in advanced nano-scale measurement techniques, micro-resonator physics, surface science, diamond growth and manipulation and self-assembly. We expect to have significantly advanced the state of the art in this area at the end of a 3-5 year period having resolved some of the outstanding scientific issues mentioned above.

Contact the Principal Investigator, Brian Houston, for more information