Molecular-Dynamics Simulations of Carbon Nanotubes as Gigahertz Oscillators

Recently, Zheng and Jiang [Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 045503 (2002)] have proposed that multiwalled carbon nanotubes could be the basis for a new generation of nano-oscillators in the several gigahertz range. In this Letter, we present the first molecular dynamics simulation for these systems. Different nanotube types were considered in order to verify the reliability of such devices as gigahertz oscillators. Our results show that these nano-oscillators are dynamically stable when the radii difference values between inner and outer tubes are of $\sim 3.4\AA$. Frequencies as large as 38 GHz were observed, and the calculated force values are in good agreement with recent experimental investigations.