Highly efficient, charge depletion-mediated, voltage-tunable actuation efficiency and resonance frequency of piezoelectric semiconductor nanoelectromechanical systems resonators

A nanoelectromechanical system (NEM) resonator comprising:

• a resonant member comprised of a free-standing mechanical structure including a semiconductor p-type/intrinsic/n-type (PIN) diode, wherein a charge depleted high resistance region or depletion region in a middle of the PIN diode forms a piezoelectrically active layer;
• wherein a DC voltage is applied across the PIN diode to alter a width of the depletion region thereby adjusting an amount of an AC signal necessary to actuate the resonant member;
• and
• wherein the AC signal is applied across the PIN diode to produce a strain on the piezoelectrically active layer, wherein said strain results in flexural bending moment, wherein said bending moment actuates mechanical resonance of the resonant member at or near its resonance frequency.