Molecular dynamics simulation study on mechanical responses of nanoindented monolayer-graphene-nanoribbon

We investigated the mechanical responses of the nanoindented graphene-nanoribbon (GNR)-resonator using classical molecular dynamics simulations. The nanoindented force in this work was applied to the GNR's local point and then, GNR-resonator's frequency could be tuned by a nanoindented depth. We found the hardening or the softening of the GNR during its nanoindented-deflections, and such properties were recognized by the shift of the resonance frequency. The linear elastic regime in low applied force is explicitly separated with the non-linear elastic regime in high applied force. In particular, at the threshold point, a very small change of the nanoindented depth can cause great change in the resonance frequency, and this property can enable the GNR to be applied to electromechanical relay switching. devices and the quantum-computer in quantum-mechanical coupling as well as mass detectors, pressure sensors, accelerometers, and alarms. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.