A geometric pattern helps to reduce vibrations at nanostructures

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A study contributed by researchers from the Material Science Institute of Madrid (ICMM-CSIC) has designed a geometry that, applied to manufacture nanomaterials, dampens mechanical vibrations that negatively affect nanometric-sized structures. This finding, published at Nature Nanotechnology, represents a simple, economical and energy-efficient solution to the problem of vibrations. This could have numerous applications in the field of nanotechnology, such as quantum computing, and in the field of biosensors, among others examples. 

David García, CSIC researcher at ICMM explains that, at nanoscale, small solid objects are "very sensitive to vibrations generated by thermal energy". This is a problem in the field of technology. "Currently, a lot of energy and money is spent to solve it", adds the researcher, who says that they have managed to do it much more simply: "By manufacturing the materials with a clover-shaped geometric structure, we can eliminate these vibrations in a range of specific frequencies".

The work proposes molding the material with a very simple geometric pattern similar to a clover, with which they have managed to eliminate mechanical vibrations in a wide range of energies. “The function of this molding of the material is to create a destructive interference that cancels out these vibrations without the need to cool the material. Our design is an excellent platform for the creation of phonon waveguides since the control of vibrations allows us to guide them specifically and at will”, adds García.

To characterize the effect of this geometry, a non-invasive and non-destructive measurement technique has been used. Furthermore, the geometric pattern can be adapted to cope with vibrations at different energies, making it larger or smaller. “The geometry is the same, but it is tuned to fit each application”, concludes the ICMM-CSIC researcher, who carried out part of the research at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2).

-- Marta García Gonzalo / CSIC Comunicación --