Stepwise and Hysteretic Transport Behavior of an Electromechanical Charge Shuttle

Abstract

Charge transport by way of objects that jiggle is a curious phenomenon. Here we present experiments on an electromechanical charge shuttle that reveal interesting electronic transport properties and rich dynamics. The current-voltage characteristics display distinctive jumps and hysteresis which reflect the influence of the vibrational environment on shuttle dynamics. These results provide fundamental guidance toward the understanding of transport phenomena in future electromechanical nanosystems and engineered microdevices.