Characterization of single wall carbon nanotubes by scanning tunneling and scanning force microscopy

Journal Article · Thu Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.59859· OSTI ID:21210525

Clauss, W ^[1]; Freitag, M; Bergeron, D J; Johnson, A T ^[2]

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1. Institute of Applied Physics, University of Tuebingen (Germany)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LRSM, University of Pennysylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

In high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy images of single-wall carbon nanotubes we often find complex superstructures superimposed onto the simple atomic pattern. They can be interpreted as a result of elastic scattering of the Fermi states at defects or impurities. A new combination of scanning tunneling and scanning force microscopy enables near-atomic point resolution in the resulting images. Using the force interaction as a feedback signal, the tubes can be identified without the need of a conducting substrate. This imaging mode is a crucial step for the characterization of electronic devices based on individual single-wall tubes. First results are presented showing that it is possible to obtain current images from tubes which are only locally connected to electrical contacts defined on insulating substrates.

• OSTI ID: 21210525
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 486; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CARBON
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
FERMI LEVEL
IMAGES
NANOTUBES
RESOLUTION
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SOLIDS
SUBSTRATES