Theory of Dispersion and Exchange Interactions Subjected to Surface Roughness in Application to Signal Transmission through a Nanoswitch

Abstract

We present the theoretical description of a resistive nanoswitch designated for a change-over between the two operation modes by calculating the electri elastic, dispersion (van der Waals and Casimir), and also exchange repulsive forces in its configuration with an account of surface roughness. The dispersion forces are described by means of the Lifshitz theory and, at the shortest separations between the interacting bodies, where this theory is inapplicable, by the method of additive summation of the interatomic potentials corrected for the role of the effects of nonadditivity. The exchange repulsion is also found by a summation of the interatomic potentials and using the proximity force approximation. It is shown that the nanoswitch possesses the equilibrium closest separation between a cantilever tip and a ground plate calculated as a function of the actuation voltage and operates in a cyclic manner with no pull-in when this voltage is switched on and off. We have found the tunnel current between a cantilever tip and a plate and investigated distortions appearing in the signal transmitted through a nanoswitch. According to our results, the amplitude distortions arising in the low-frequency information signal can be made sufficiently small by increasing a difference between the amplitudes of the carrier and information signals. Possible applications of the obtained results are discussed.