Effect of defects on oscillation characteristics and instability of carbon nanotube-based oscillators

The oscillatory characteristics and the instability of double-and triple-walled carbon nanotube-based oscillators containing a vacancy or a Stone-Wales (SW) defect were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that the existence of these defects markedly affects the oscillation period and amplitude. The defect-free oscillators are most stable, followed by oscillators containing a SWdefect, while oscillators containing a vacancy are least stable. The origin of the defect-induced instability is due to the change in potential energy profile and the resulting force fluctuation. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.