Nanoscale Rotary Motors Driven by Electron Tunneling

We examine by semiclassical molecular dynamics simulations the possibility of driving nanoscale rotary motors by electron tunneling. The model systems studied have a carbon nanotube shaft with covalently attached isolating molecular stalks ending with conducting blades. Periodic charging and discharging of the blades at two metallic electrodes maintains an electric dipole on the blades that is rotated by an external electric field. Our simulations demonstrate that these molecular motors can be efficient under load and in the presence of noise and defects.