Performance of graphene nanoelectromechanical resonators

Given the enormous stiffness and low mass density, graphene is an ideal candidate for nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) applications. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication and electrical integration of monolayer graphene resonators, and report their response to changes in mass and temperature. The resonant frequencies are in the megahertz range, and could be tuned by applied gate voltage. The quality factor increases with decreasing temperature, reaching 10,000 at 5~K. We also build a continuum mechanic model to understand the experimental data, which reveals the mass density and built-in strain of graphene, as well as its unusual negative thermal expansion coefficient.