Mechanical energy dissipation of multiwalled carbon nanotube in ultrahigh vacuum

Mechanical elements composed of an individual multiwalled carbon nanotube was fabricated and its mechanical energy dissipation was evaluated in an ultrahigh vacuum. The carbon nanotube was oscillated by applying a voltage between the carbon nanotube and a metal electrode, and its vibration was detected by a laser Doppler vibrometer. Heating in vacuum desorbed contaminants from the carbon nanotube surface and decreased mechanical energy loss. However, the Q factor, i.e., the reciprocal number of the energy loss, was still low (∼800). This result suggests that the dominant energy dissipation relies on the bulk defect of the carbon nanotube.