Radio-frequency and DC electrical characterization on a modular MEMS mechanical test platform for nanomaterials

In order to enable radio frequency (RF) data collection from a micromechanical system designed to strain nanomaterials, a coplanar electrical waveguide has been integrated with an actuated microscale stage. RF (100 MHz to 20 GHz) admittance measurements obtained from this device demonstrate that the capacitance of an empty test stage decreases from 0.87 fF to 0.78 fF as the stage gap increases. Direct current (DC) photoconduction measurements demonstrate successful electrical interfacing to a suspended GaN nanowire (NW) that was placed on the stage by dielectrophoretic self-assembly.