Molecular dynamics simulations of nanomemory element based on boron-nitride nanotube-to-peapod transition

Abstract

We investigated a nonvolatile nanomemory element based on boron-nitride nanopeapods using molecular dynamics simulations. The suggested system was composed of two boron-nitride nanotubes filled Cu electrodes and fully ionized endo-fullerenes. The two boron-nitride nanotubes were placed face to face and the endo-fullerenes came and went between the two boron-nitride nanotubes under alternatively applied force fields. Since the endo-fullerenes encapsulated in the boron-nitride nanotubes hardly escape from the boron-nitride nanotubes, the proposed system can be considered to be a nonvolatile memory device. Several switching processes were investigated for external force fields using molecular dynamics simulations. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.