Dynamic in situ field emission of a nanotube at electromechanical resonance

The dynamic field emission of a carbon nanotube at mechanical resonance has been studied by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The coupling between the field emission (FE) of a nanotube under a dc voltage applied longitudinally and its mechanical resonance stimulated transversely by an ac field shows that the frequency of the FE oscillating current is twice that of the mechanical resonance. This result has been modelled using the Fowler-Nordheim equation. The nanoscale configuration of the nanoelectromechanical system makes it possible to create novel devices that could correlate the mechanical behaviour with their sensitive FE, and the FE current could provide feedback signals for controlling the devices. (letter to the editor)