Patent ID: 7719111

Claim:
A nanowire electromechanical device, comprising: an electrically insulating substrate; a first electrode for providing a predetermined non-positive electrical potential and being disposed on the electrically insulating substrate; a third electrode for providing a first predetermined positive electrical potential and being disposed on the electrically insulating substrate and spaced apart from the first electrode; a second electrode for providing a second predetermined positive electrical potential, and being interposed between the first and third electrodes and disposed on the electrically insulating substrate, with the second positive electrical potential being constant and lower than the first positive electrical potential; a first nanowire grown to extend transversely away from the first electrode with a proximal end of the first nanowire electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a surface of the first nanowire carrying negative electrical charge induced by the predetermined non-positive electrical potential provided by the first electrode; a second nanowire grown to extend transversely away from the second electrode with a proximal end of the second nanowire electrically coupled to the second electrode, and a surface of the second nanowire carrying second positive electrical charge induced by the second predetermined positive electrical potential provided by the second electrode; and a third nanowire grown to extend transversely away from the third electrode with a proximal end of the third nanowire electrically coupled to the third electrode, and a surface of the third nanowire carrying first positive electrical charge induced by the first predetermined positive electrical potential provided by the third electrode, with an amount of the second positive electrical charge being less compared to an amount of the first electrical charge; and electrostatic forces produced by potentials applied to the first and second nanowires deform the first and second nanowires so that distal ends of the first and second nanowires contact one another.