Thermally driven nanomechanical deflection of hybrid nanowires

Abstract

We observed thermally induced nanomechanical deflection of a hybrid inorganic nanowire (NW) synthesized by pulsed-laser deposition, the structure of which is a carbon nanotube template sandwiched by aluminum oxide and tungsten oxide thin layers. The hybrid NW was gradually bent at a specimen temperature ranging from room temperature to 800 °C, due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the coated layers. This mechanical deflection exhibited repeatability.