arXiv subjects

Peter G. Steeneken

Publications and source records attributed to Peter G. Steeneken.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Dynamics of 2D Material Membranes

The dynamics of suspended two-dimensional (2D) materials has received increasing attention during the last decade, yielding new techniques to study and interpret the physics that governs the motion of atomically thin layers. This has led to insights into the role of thermodynamic and nonlinear effects as well as the mechanisms that govern dissipation and stiffness in these resonators. In this review, we present the current state-of-the-art in the experimental study of the dynamics of 2D membranes. The focus will be both on the experimental measurement techniques and on the interpretation of the physical phenomena exhibited by atomically thin membranes in the linear and nonlinear regimes. We will show that resonant 2D membranes have emerged both as sensitive probes of condensed matter physics in ultrathin layers, and as sensitive elements to monitor small external forces or other changes in the environment. New directions for utilizing suspended 2D membranes for material characterization, thermal transport, and gas interactions will be discussed and we conclude by outlining the challenges and opportunities in this upcoming field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Study of charge density waves in suspended 2H-TaS2 and 2H-TaSe2 by nanomechanical resonance

The charge density wave (CDW) state in van der Waals systems shows interesting scaling phenomena as the number of layers can significantly affect the CDW transition temperature, $T_{CDW}$. However, it is often difficult to use conventional methods to study the phase transition in these systems due to their small size and sensitivity to degradation. Degradation is an important parameter which has been shown to greatly influence the superconductivity in layered systems. Since the CDW state competes with the onset of superconductivity, it is expected that $T_{CDW}$ will also be affected by the degradation. Here, we probe the CDW phase transition by the mechanical resonances of suspended 2H-TaS2 and 2H-TaSe2 membranes and study the effect of disorder on the CDW state. Pristine flakes show the transition near the reported values of 75 K and 122 K respectively. We then study the effect of degradation on 2H-TaS2 which displays an enhancement of $T_{CDW}$ up to 129 K after degradation in ambient air. Finally, we study a sample with local degradation and observe that multiple phase transitions occur at 87 K, 103 K and 118 K with a hysteresis in temperature in the same membrane. The observed spatial variations in the Raman spectra suggest that variations in crystal structure cause domains with different transition temperatures which could result in the hysteresis. This work shows the potential of using nanomechanical resonance to characterize the CDW in suspended 2D materials and demonstrate that degradation can have a large effect on transition temperatures.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Optical absorption sensing with dual-spectrum silicon LEDs in SOI-CMOS technology

Silicon p-n junction diodes emit low-intensity, broad-spectrum light near 1120 nm in forward bias and between 400-900 nm in reverse bias (avalanche). For the first time, we experimentally achieve optical absorption sensing of pigment in solution with silicon micro LEDs designed in a standard silicon-on-insulator CMOS technology. By driving a single LED in both forward and avalanche modes of operation, we steer its electroluminescent spectrum between visible and near-infrared (NIR). We then characterize the vertical optical transmission of both visible and NIR light from the LED through the same micro-droplet specimen to a vertically mounted discrete silicon photodiode. The effective absorption coefficient of carmine solution in glycerol at varying concentrations were extracted from the color ratio in optical coupling. By computing the LED-specific molar absorption coefficient of carmine, we estimate the concentration (0.040 mo/L) and validate the same with a commercial spectrophotometer (0.030 mol/L ). With a maximum observed sensitivity of 1260 /cm /mol L, the sensor is a significant step forward towards low-cost CMOS-integrated optical sensors with silicon LED as the light source intended for biochemical analyses in food sector and plant/human health.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Semi-permeability of graphene nanodrums in sucrose solution

Semi-permeable membranes are important elements in water purification and energy generation applications, for which the atomic thickness and strength of graphene can enhance efficiency and permeation rate while maintaining good selectivity. Here, we show that an osmotic pressure difference forms across a suspended graphene membrane as a response to a sucrose concentration difference, providing evidence for its semi-permeability. This osmotic pressure difference is detected via the deflection of the graphene membrane that is measured by atomic force microscopy. Using this technique, the time dependence of this deflection allows us to measure the water permeation rate of a single 3.4 $μ$m diameter graphene membrane. Its value is close to the expected value of a single nanopore in graphene. The method thus allows one to experimentally study the semi-permeability of graphene membranes at the microscale when the leakage rate is miniscule. It can therefore find use in the development of graphene membranes for filtration, and can enable sensors that measure the concentration and composition of solutions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Method to Determine the Closed-Loop Precision of Resonant Sensors from Open-Loop Measurements

Resonant sensors determine a sensed parameter by measuring the resonance frequency of a resonator. For fast continuous sensing, it is desirable to operate resonant sensors in a closed-loop configuration, where a feedback loop ensures that the resonator is always actuated near its resonance frequency, so that the precision is maximized even in the presence of drifts or fluctuations of the resonance frequency. However, in a closed-loop configuration, the precision is not only determined by the resonator itself, but also by the feedback loop, even if the feedback circuit is noiseless. Therefore, to characterize the intrinsic precision of resonant sensors, the open-loop configuration is often employed. To link these measurements to the actual closed-loop performance of the resonator, it is desirable to have a relation that determines the closed-loop precision of the resonator from open-loop characterisation data. In this work, we present a methodology to estimate the closed-loop resonant sensor precision by relying only on an open-loop characterization of the resonator. The procedure is beneficial for fast performance estimation and benchmarking of resonant sensors, because it does not require actual closed-loop sensor operation, thus being independent on the particular implementation of the feedback loop. We validate the methodology experimentally by determining the closed-loop precision of a mechanical resonator from an open-loop measurement and comparing this to an actual closed-loop measurement.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nanoelectromechanical Sensors based on Suspended 2D Materials

The unique properties and atomic thickness of two-dimensional (2D) materials enable smaller and better nanoelectromechanical sensors with novel functionalities. During the last decade, many studies have successfully shown the feasibility of using suspended membranes of 2D materials in pressure sensors, microphones, accelerometers, and mass and gas sensors. In this review, we explain the different sensing concepts and give an overview of the relevant material properties, fabrication routes, and device operation principles. Finally, we discuss sensor readout and integration methods and provide comparisons against the state of the art to show both the challenges and promises of 2D material-based nanoelectromechanical sensing.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Enhancing nonlinear damping by parametric-direct internal resonance

Mechanical sources of nonlinear damping play a central role in modern physics, from solid-state physics to thermodynamics. The microscopic theory of mechanical dissipation [M. I . Dykman, M. A. Krivoglaz, Physica Status Solidi (b) 68, 111 (1975)] suggests that nonlinear damping of a resonant mode can be strongly enhanced when it is coupled to a vibration mode that is close to twice its resonance frequency. To date, no experimental evidence of this enhancement has been realized. In this letter, we experimentally show that nanoresonators driven into parametric-direct internal resonance provide supporting evidence for the microscopic theory of nonlinear dissipation. By regulating the drive level, we tune the parametric resonance of a graphene nanodrum over a range of 40-70 MHz to reach successive two-to-one internal resonances, leading to a nearly two-fold increase of the nonlinear damping. Our study opens up an exciting route towards utilizing modal interactions and parametric resonance to realize resonators with engineered nonlinear dissipation over wide frequency range.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Sensitive capacitive pressure sensors based on graphene membrane arrays

The high flexibility, impermeability and strength of graphene membranes are key properties that can enable the next generation of nanomechanical sensors. However, for capacitive pressure sensors the sensitivity offered by a single suspended graphene membrane is too small to compete with commercial sensors. Here, we realize highly sensitive capacitive pressure sensors consisting of arrays of nearly ten thousand small, freestanding double-layer graphene membranes. We fabricate large arrays of small diameter membranes using a procedure that maintains the superior material and mechanical properties of graphene, even after high-temperature anneals. These sensors are readout using a low cost battery-powered circuit board, with a responsivity of up to 47.8 aF Pa$^{-1}$ mm$^{-2}$, thereby outperforming commercial sensors.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Graphene Effusion-based Gas Sensor

Porous, atomically thin graphene membranes have interesting properties for filtration and sieving applications because they can accommodate small pore sizes, while maintaining high permeability. These membranes are therefore receiving much attention for novel gas and water purification applications. Here we show that the atomic thickness and high resonance frequency of porous graphene membranes enables an effusion based gas sensing method that distinguishes gases based on their molecular mass. Graphene membranes are used to pump gases through nanopores using optothermal forces. By monitoring the time delay between the actuation force and the membrane mechanical motion, the permeation time-constants of various gases are shown to be significantly different. The measured linear relation between the effusion time constant and the square root of the molecular mass provides a method for sensing gases based on their molecular mass. The presented microscopic effusion based gas sensor can provide a small, low-power alternative for large, high-power, mass-spectrometry and optical spectrometry based gas sensing methods.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Magnetic and electronic phase transitions probed by nanomechanical resonance

Two-dimensional (2D) materials enable new types of magnetic and electronic phases mediated by their reduced dimensionality like magic-angle induced phase transitions, 2D Ising antiferromagnets and ferromagnetism in 2D atomic layers and heterostructures. However, only a few methods are available to study these phase transitions, which for example is particularly challenging for antiferromagnetic materials. Here, we demonstrate that these phases can be probed by the mechanical motion: the temperature dependent resonance frequency and quality factor of multilayer 2D material membranes show clear anomalies near the phase transition temperature, which are correlated to anomalies in the specific heat of the materials. The observed coupling of mechanical degrees of freedom to magnetic and electronic order is attributed to thermodynamic relations that are not restricted to van der Waals materials. Nanomechanical resonators, therefore, offer the potential to characterize phase transitions in a wide variety of materials, including those that are antiferromagnetic, insulating or so thin that conventional bulk characterization methods become unsuitable.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Phonon Scattering at Kinks in Suspended Graphene

Recent experiments have shown surprisingly large thermal time constants in suspended graphene ranging from 10 to 100 ns in drums with a diameter ranging from 2 to 7 microns. The large time constants and their scaling with diameter points towards a thermal resistance at the edge of the drum. However, an explanation of the microscopic origin of this resistance is lacking. Here, we show how phonon scattering at a kink in the graphene, e.g. formed by sidewall adhesion at the edge of the suspended membrane, can cause a large thermal time constant. This kink strongly limits the fraction of flexural phonons that cross the suspended graphene edge, which causes a thermal interface resistance at its boundary. Our model predicts thermal time constants that are of the same order of magnitude as experimental data, and shows a similar dependence on the circumference. Furthermore, the model predicts the relative in-plane and out-of-plane phonon contributions to graphene's thermal expansion force, in agreement with experiments. We thus show, that in contrast to conventional thermal (Kapitza) resistance which occurs between two different materials, in 2D materials another type of thermal interface resistance can be geometrically induced in a single material.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics of Acoustic Phonons in Suspended Graphene

Recent theory has predicted large temperature differences between the in-plane (LA and TA) and out-of-plane (ZA) acoustic phonon baths in locally-heated suspended graphene. To verify these predictions, and their implications for understanding the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of 2D materials, experimental techniques are needed. Here, we present a method to determine the acoustic phonon bath temperatures from the frequency-dependent mechanical response of suspended graphene to a power modulated laser. The mechanical motion reveals two counteracting contributions to the thermal expansion force, that are attributed to fast positive thermal expansion by the in-plane phonons and slower negative thermal expansion by the out-of-plane phonons. The magnitude of the two forces reveals that the in-plane and flexural acoustic phonons are at very different temperatures in the steady-state, with typically observed values of the ratio $ΔT_{\mathrm{LA+TA}}/ΔT_{\mathrm{ZA}}$ between 0.2 and 3.7. These deviations from the generally used local thermal equilibrium assumption ($ΔT_{\mathrm{LA+TA}}=ΔT_{\mathrm{ZA}}$) can affect the experimental analysis of thermal properties of 2D materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Ultrathin complex oxide nanomechanical resonators

Complex oxide thin films and heterostructures exhibit a profusion of exotic phenomena, often resulting from the intricate interplay between film and substrate. Recently it has become possible to isolate epitaxially grown single-crystalline layers of these materials, enabling the study of their properties in the absence of interface effects. In this work, we create ultrathin membranes of strongly correlated materials and demonstrate top-down fabrication of nanomechanical resonators made out of \ce{SrTiO3} and \ce{SrRuO3}. Using laser interferometry, we successfully actuate and measure the motion of the nanodrum resonators. By measuring their temperature-dependent mechanical response, we observe signatures of structural phase transitions in \ce{SrTiO3}, which affect the strain and mechanical dissipation in the resonators. This approach can be extended to investigate phase transitions in a wide range of materials. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating ultrathin complex oxide membranes for realizing nanoelectromechanical systems on arbitrary substrates.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Mass measurement of graphene using quartz crystal microbalances

Current wafer-scale fabrication methods for graphene-based electronics and sensors involve the transfer of single-layer graphene by a support polymer. This often leaves some polymer residue on the graphene, which can strongly impact its electronic, thermal, and mechanical resonance properties. To assess the cleanliness of graphene fabrication methods, it is thus of considerable interest to quantify the amount of contamination on top of the graphene. Here, we present a methodology for direct measurement of the mass of the graphene sheet using quartz crystal microbalances (QCM). By monitoring the QCM resonance frequency during removal of graphene in an oxygen plasma, the total mass of the graphene and contamination is determined with sub-graphene-monolayer accuracy. Since the etch-rate of the contamination is higher than that of graphene, quantitative measurements of the mass of contaminants below, on top, and between graphene layers are obtained. We find that polymer-based dry transfer methods can increase the mass of a graphene sheet by a factor of 10. The presented mass measurement method is conceptually straightforward to interpret and can be used for standardized testing of graphene transfer procedures in order to improve the quality of graphene devices in future applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

High-frequency stochastic switching of graphene resonators near room temperature

Stochastic switching between the two bistable states of a strongly driven mechanical resonator enables detection of weak signals based on probability distributions, in a manner that mimics biological systems. However, conventional silicon resonators at the microscale require a large amount of fluctuation power to achieve a switching rate in the order of a few Hertz. Here, we employ graphene membrane resonators of atomic thickness to achieve a stochastic switching rate of 7.8 kHz, which is 200 times faster than current state-of-the-art. The (effective) temperature of the fluctuations is approximately 400 K, which is 3000 times lower than the state-of-the-art. This shows that these membranes are potentially useful to transduce weak signals in the audible frequency domain. Furthermore, we perform numerical simulations to understand the transition dynamics of the resonator and derive simple analytical expressions to investigate the relevant scaling parameters that allow high-frequency, low-temperature stochastic switching to be achieved in mechanical resonators.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Transient thermal characterization of suspended monolayer MoS$_2$

We measure the thermal time constants of suspended single layer molybdenum disulfide drums by their thermomechanical response to a high-frequency modulated laser. From this measurement the thermal diffusivity of single layer MoS$_2$ is found to be 1.14 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$ m$^2$/s on average. Using a model for the thermal time constants and a model assuming continuum heat transport, we extract thermal conductivities at room temperature between 10 to 40 W/(m$\cdot$K). Significant device-to-device variation in the thermal diffusivity is observed. Based on statistical analysis we conclude that these variations in thermal diffusivity are caused by microscopic defects that have a large impact on phonon scattering, but do not affect the resonance frequency and damping of the membrane's lowest eigenmode. By combining the experimental thermal diffusivity with literature values of the thermal conductivity, a method is presented to determine the specific heat of suspended 2D materials, which is estimated to be 255 $\pm$ 104 J/(kg$\cdot$K) for single layer MoS$_2$.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Modal analysis for determining the size-and temperature-dependent bending rigidity of graphene

The bending rigidity of two-dimensional (2D) materials is a key parameter for understanding the mechanics of 2D NEMS devices. The apparent bending rigidity of graphene membranes at macroscopic scale differs from theoretical predictions at micro-scale. This difference is believed to originate from thermally induced dynamic ripples in the atomically thin membrane. In this paper, we perform modal analysis to estimate the effective macroscopic bending rigidity of graphene membranes from the frequency spectrum of their Brownian motion. Our method is based on fitting the resonance frequencies obtained from the Brownian motion in molecular dynamics simulations, to those obtained from a continuum mechanics model, with bending rigidity and pretension as the fit parameters. In this way, the effective bending rigidity of the membrane and its temperature and size dependence, are extracted, while including the effects of dynamic ripples and thermal fluctuations. The proposed method provides a framework for estimating the macroscopic mechanical properties at high frequencies in other two-dimensional nano-structures at finite temperatures.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Graphene mechanical pixels for Interferometric MOdulator Displays (GIMOD)

Graphene, the carbon monolayer and 2D allotrope of graphite, has the potential to impact technology with a wide range of applications such as optical modulators for high-speed communications. In contrast to modulation devices that rely on plasmonic or electronic effects, MEMS-based modulators can have wider tuning ranges albeit at a lower operating frequency. These properties make electro-optic mechanical modulators ideal for reflective-type display technologies as has been demonstrated previously with SiN membranes in Interferometric MOdulator Displays (IMODs). Despite their low-power consumption and performance in bright environments, IMODs suffer from low frame rates and limited color gamut. Double-layer graphene (DLG) membranes grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) can also recreate the interference effect like in IMODs as proven with drumheads displaying Newton's rings. Here, we report on the electro-optical response of CVD DLG mechanical pixels by measuring the change in wavelength-dependent reflectance of a suspended graphene drumhead as a function of electrical gating. We use a spectrometer to measure the wavelength spectrum at different voltages, and find a good agreement with a model based on light interference. Moreover, to verify that gas compression effects do not play an important role, we use a stroboscopic illumination technique to study the electro-optic response of these graphene pixels at frequencies up to 400 Hz. Based on these findings, we demonstrate a continuous full-spectrum reflective-type pixel technology with a Graphene Interferometric MOdulator Display (GIMOD) prototype of 2500 pixels per inch (ppi) equivalent to more than 12K resolution.

physics.app-ph↗