Mass detection using carbon nanotube-based nanomechanical resonators

The potential of nanobalances based on individual single-walled carbon nanotubes is examined. The carbon nanotube resonators are assumed to be either cantilevered or bridged and simulated by an atomistic modeling, i.e., the molecular structural mechanics method. The results indicate that the mass sensitivity of carbon nanotube nanobalances can reach 10(-21) g and a logarithmically linear relationship exists between the resonant frequency and the attached mass when the mass is larger than 10(-20) g. The sensitivity of resonant frequency shifts to both tube length and diameter has been demonstrated. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.