Multilayer friction and attachment effects on energy dissipation in graphene nanoresonators

We utilize classical molecular dynamics to study the effects of intrinsic, interlayer friction between graphene monolayers, as well as extrinsic attachment or clamping strength between graphene and a model silicon substrate on the energy dissipation Q-factors of oscillating graphene nanoresonators. Both interlayer friction and attachment effects are found to significantly degrade the graphene Q-factors, with an increase in energy dissipation with increasing temperature, while both effects are found to be strongly dependent on the strength of the van der Waals interactions, either between adjacent layers of graphene or between graphene and the underlying substrate. © 2009 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.3099932