A simple method for analysing the deformation of nanoelectromechanical switches based on carbon nanotubes

This paper developed an effective multiscale method for analysing the deformation of NanoElectroMechanical (NEM) switches based on carbon nanotubes. The switches were simplified to beam systems with loads calculated from three-coupled energy domains: the electrostatic energy domain, the elastostatic energy domain, and the van der Waals energy domain. A meshless formulation was then used to discretise the switches to establish the non-linear system of equations for solution. The pull-in voltage characteristics of the fixed-fixed and cantilever nanoswitches based on the single-walled nanotube and the double-walled nanotube are analysed. A parametric comparison with the results in the literature showed that the method developed in this paper is very effective.