Ultrasensitive mass sensing with a nanotube electromechanical resonator

Nano Lett. 2008 Nov;8(11):3735-8. doi: 10.1021/nl801982v. Epub 2008 Oct 22.

Abstract

Shrinking mechanical resonators to submicrometer dimensions (approximately 100 nm) has tremendously improved capabilities in sensing applications. In this Letter, we go further in size reduction using a 1 nm diameter carbon nanotube as a mechanical resonator for mass sensing. The performances, which are tested by measuring the mass of evaporated chromium atoms, are exceptional. The mass responsivity is measured to be 11 Hz x yg(-1) and the mass resolution is 25 zg at room temperature (1 yg = 10(-24) g and 1 zg = 10(-21) g). By cooling the nanotube down to 5 K in a cryostat, the signal for the detection of mechanical vibrations is improved and corresponds to a resolution of 1.4 zg.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electrochemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes / ultrastructure