Dynamic friction force in a carbon peapod oscillator

Abstract

We investigate a new generation of fullerene nano-oscillators: a single-walled carbon nanotube with one buckyball inside with an operating frequency in the tens-of-gigahertz range. A quantitative characterization of energy dissipation channels in the peapod pair has been performed via molecular dynamics simulation. Edge effects are found to be the dominant cause of dynamic friction in the carbon-peapod oscillators. A comparative study on the energy dissipation also reveals the significant impact of temperature and impulse velocity on the frictional force.

Group Members

William A. Goddard III

Charles and Mary Ferkel Professor