This dissertation, "Dynamics of Double-walled Carbon Nanotube Oscillators" by Lai-ho, Wong, 黃禮豪, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract of thesis entitled DYNAMICS OF DOUBLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBE OSCILLATORS Submitted by WONG Lai Ho for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Hong Kong in November 2005 Double-walled carbon nanotube oscillators have recently been proposed as com- ponents in nanoelectromechanical systems with oscillation frequencies beyond one gigahertz. Designandcontrolofthisnovelmechanicaldevicerequirecomprehensive understanding of its dynamic properties. Previous studies on the carbon-nanotube- based oscillators have mainly focused on frictional properties and the e(R)ect of the chirality of nanotubes. Nano-oscillators can also be ideal objects to test the statisti- cal mechanics laws, to monitor intra-oscillator energy exchanges, and to investigate motion stabilities so as to understand the dynamics of system at the nanoscopic level. Moleculardynamicssimulationshavebeencarriedouttoexaminetheenergyex- changemechanismofthesystemusingmicro-canonicalensembles. Energyexchanges among various mechanical modes on the crossroad of dissipation and thermal uc- tuation may result in a local loss of entropy. The orderly intertube axial oscillation can be revived after a brief period of hibernation. This revived motion manifests itself with chaotic behavior and its chaoticity was conrmed by evaluation of Lya-punov exponents. These results suggest that the energy of orderly axial motion can be partially recovered from a heat bath in this nano-device. Introduction of a single defect to the outer nanotube of a nano-oscillator was found to help maintain intertube alignment. A defect in macroscopic sense is a nuisance, although in carbon-nanotube-based oscillators it serves as a groove to facilitate axial oscillation by suppressing the relative rotation of the nanotubes. In this study, a carbon nanotube with an embedded defect was employed in molecular dynamics simulation to demonstrate its unexpected role. DOI: 10.5353/th_b3663296 Subjects: NanotubesMolecular dynamics