Magnetically operated nanorelay based on two single-walled carbon nanotubes filled with endofullerenes Fe@C20

Abstract

Structural and energy characteristics of the smallest magnetic endofullerene Fe@C20 were calculated using the density functional theory. The ground state of Fe@C20 was found to be a septet state, and the magnetic moment of Fe@C20 was estimated to be 8 Bohr magnetons. The characteristics of an (8,8) carbon nanotube with a single Fe@C20 inside were studied with a semiempirical approach. The scheme of a magnetic nanorelay based on cantilevered nanotubes filled with magnetic endofullerenes was examined. This nanorelay is turned on as a result of bending of nanotubes by a magnetic force. The operational characteristics of such a nanorelay based on (8,8) and (21,21) nanotubes fully filled with Fe@C20 were estimated and compared to the ones of a nanorelay made of a (21,21) nanotube fully filled with experimentally observed (Ho3N)@C80 with the magnetic moment of 21 Bohr magnetons. The room-temperature operation of (21,21) nanotube-based nanorelays was demonstrated.