Optical switching of a graphene mechanical switch using the Casimir effect

We propose a method to control a graphene-based mechanical switch with light. By positioning a self-supporting graphene sheet parallel to a doped silicon membrane, irradiation of the membrane with light can bring the graphene into contact with the membrane. This operation is based on the enhancement of the Casimir force between the graphene sheet and a doped silicon membrane that results from photoionization; therefore, pull-in phenomena can occur even without applying any voltage. We theoretically investigated the dependence of the maximum displacement of a graphene sheet on the power of the irradiation light. Furthermore, the switching time is estimated by analyzing the time-evolution of the carrier density in a doped silicon membrane. Published by AIP Publishing.