Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
This research develops Electrostatic Actuated NAno Tensile testing devices (EANATs) to evaluate mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanowires fabricated by focus ion beam- assisted chemical vapor deposition (FIB-CVD). This research carried out nanoscale uniaxial tensile tests for 90 nm- to 150 nm-diametric carbon nanowires using EANATs. Young's modulus of cabon nanowires averaged 58 GPa, which was close to that of hydrogenated diamond-like carbon films. On average, fracture stress and strain of carbon nanowires reached values of 4.2 GPa and 0.08, respectively. This research also measured I-V characteristics of 100 nm-diametric carbon nanowires under tensile loading to reveal the piezo resistivity of nanowires. The piezoresistive effect of carbon nanowire was observed. The tensile load was about 0.75 GPa at maximum value of the resistance change.