Fabrication of nano-mechanical switch using focused ion beam for complex nano-electronic circuits

A nano-mechanical switch has been fabricated and its switching action has been demonstrated. The device utilises the phenomenon of bending of Pt nanopillars and cantilevers induced by focused ion beam (FIB). Two skew Pt pillars with equal lengths and different cross-sections have been fabricated subtending an angle of approximately 100 degrees with each other using FIB-chemical vapour deposition (CVD). One of the pillars is initially made to bend towards the adjacent pillar to achieve a physical contact with it, and then is bent in opposite direction from it. The pillar has been bent along the desired orientation by appropriately choosing the ion beam irradiation directions. The switching action has been demonstrated by applying constant voltage across the Pt pillars and measuring the current passing through it, as a function of time during ion beam scanning. These nano-mechanical switches would find useful applications during the in-situ electrical characterisation of micro- and nano-structures fabricated by FIB.