Single Crystal Diamond Nanomechanical Dome Resonator

摘要

Superior mechanical and optical properties of single crystal (SC) diamond in combination with a chemically inert and bio-compatible surface enable the design and fabrication of novel nanoscale devices for sensing and signal processing applications. In this letter, we present the first fabrication and operation of high-frequency nanomechanical resonators implemented in 100-nm-thick SC diamond films epitaxially grown on SC synthetic diamond. The method of fabrication is based on introducing a pattern of localized mechanical stress in the epitaxial film and can be potentially extended below 10 nm film thickness. Reduction in film thickness and hence a reduction in the mass of the resonator is motivated by a straightforward gain in performance as a mass sensor. The corresponding increase in resonant frequency greatly facilitates operation in viscous media such as air and water. The exceptional mass sensitivity of nanomechanical resonators, combined with emerging methods of functionalization that provide a diamond surface with the specificity toward analytes of interest, make SC diamond resonators a superb choice for chem/bio sensing applications.