Home » Nanoparticles and graphene-like materials

Nanotubes

Scientific highlights

NanoSculptors carve atom by atom

Submitted by zobelli on Sun, 2009-12-20 22:31
Posted in
Sculpting nanotubes

Electron microscopy is a delicate balancing act between using the highest energy electrons possible in order to obtain the best image, while avoiding destruction of the sample under investigation. The trouble is, the electron beam does not just observe, it also interacts with the structure we observe. This can be critical for “fragile” samples such as nanostructures: the transfer of energy from the electron beam can be sufficient that atoms are knocked right out of the material. In the worst cases the sample is destroyed in front of your eyes.

In the current study we turned this problem to our advantage. The idea was to use a STEM [scanning transmission electron microscope] as a carving tool with nanometric precision, with the added advantage that we can image what we are doing at the same time.
Read more »

Publications

Karapinar, D., et al. Carbon-Nanotube-Supported Copper Polyphthalocyanine for Efficient and Selective Electrocatalytic CO 2 Reduction to CO. ChemSusChem 110627133819613867946813834931339326416013813910712224519085252, (2019).
Arenal, R., et al. Atomic Configuration of Nitrogen-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Nano Letters 14, 5509 - 5516 (2014).
Susi, T., et al. Nitrogen-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Thin Films Exhibiting Anomalous Sheet Resistances. Chemistry Of Materials 23, 2201–2208 (2011).
Ivanovskaya, V.V., et al. Low-Energy Termination of Graphene Edges via the Formation of Narrow Nanotubes. Physical Review Letters 107, 065502 (2011). Download: PhysRevLett.107.065502.pdf (506.32 KB)
Diaz-Guerra, C., Umek, P., Gloter, A. & Piqueras, J. Synthesis and Cathodoluminescence of Undoped and Cr3+-Doped Sodium Titanate Nanotubes and Nanoribbons. Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 114, 8192–8198 (2010).
Krstic, V., et al. Indirect Magnetic Coupling in Light-Element-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Acs Nano 4, 5081–5086 (2010).
Gloter, A., Ewels, C.P., Umek, P., Arcon, D. & Colliex, C. Electronic structure of titania-based nanotubes investigated by EELS spectroscopy. Physical Review B 80, 035413 (2009).
Umek, P., et al. Synthesis of 3D Hierarchical Self-Assembled Microstructures Formed from alpha-MnO2 Nanotubes and Their Conducting and Magnetic Properties. Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 113, 14798–14803 (2009).
Arenal, R., et al. Optical gap measurements on individual boron nitride nanotubes by electron energy loss spectroscopy. Microscopy And Microanalysis 14, 274–282 (2008).
Debarre, A., et al. Electronic and Mechanical Coupling of Carbon Nanotubes: A Tunable Resonant Raman Study of Systems with Known Structures. Physical Review Letters 101, 197403 (2008). Download: Phys. Rev. Lett. 2008 Débarre.pdf (713.44 KB)
Ewels, C.P., et al. Influence of Fe/Cr on nitrogen doped carbon nanotube growth. European Physical Journal-Applied Physics 42, 247–250 (2008).
Enouz-Vedrenne, S., et al. Effect of the Synthesis Method on the Distribution of C, B, and N Elements in Multiwall Nanotubes: A Spatially Resolved Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy Study. Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 112, 16422–16430 (2008).
Heresanu, V., et al. Nature of the catalyst particles in CCVD synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotubes revealed by the cooling step study. Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 112, 7371–7378 (2008).
Umek, P., et al. Coordination of intercalated Cu2+ sites in copper doped sodium titanate nanotubes and nanoribbons. Journal Of Physical Chemistry C 112, 15311–15319 (2008).
Zobelli, A., Gloter, A., Ewels, C.P. & Colliex, C. Shaping single walled nanotubes with an electron beam. Physical Review B 77, 045410 (2008). Download: PhysRevB.77.045410.pdf (1.13 MB)
Enouz, S., Stéphan, O., Cochon, J.L., Colliex, C. & Loiseau, A. C-BN patterned single-walled nanotubes synthesized by laser vaporization. Nano Letters 7, 1856–1862 (2007).
Enouz, S., et al. Spectroscopic study of nitrogen doping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Journal Of Nanoscience And Nanotechnology 7, 3524–3527 (2007).
Kobylko, M., et al. Towards correlating Raman excitation profile and electron diffraction of the same single carbon nanotube. Annales De Physique 32, 131–134 (2007).
Kasumov, A.Y., et al. CVD growth of carbon nanotubes at very low pressure of acetylene. Applied Physics A-Materials Science & Processing 88, 687–691 (2007).
Suarez-Martinez, I., Savini, G., Zobelli, A. & Heggie, M. Dislocations in Carbon Nanotube Walls. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 7, 3417 - 3420 (2007).
Zobelli, A., Gloter, A., Ewels, C.P., Seifert, G. & Colliex, C. Electron knock-on cross section of carbon and boron nitride nanotubes. Physical Review B 75, (2007). Download: crosssec.pdf (399.11 KB)
Zobelli, A. Electron beam generation and structure of defects in carbon and boron nitride nanotubes. (2007). Download: zobelli-thesis.pdf (8.38 MB)
Arenal, R., Kociak, M., Loiseau, A. & Miller, D.J. Determination of chiral indices of individual single- and double-walled boron nitride nanotubes by electron diffraction. Applied Physics Letters 89, 073104 (2006). Download: Appl. Phys. Lett. 2006 Arenal.pdf (271.38 KB)
Ferrier, M., et al. Alteration of superconductivity and radial breathing modes in suspended ropes of carbon nanotubes by organic polymer coatings. Physical Review B 74, 241402 (2006).
Enouz, S., et al. Synthesis and structure of BN-doped multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotubes. Physica Status Solidi B-Basic Solid State Physics 243, 3246–3251 (2006).
Kasumov, A.Y., Khodos, I.I., Kociak, M. & Kasumov, A.Y. Scanning and transmission electron microscope images of a suspended single-walled carbon nanotube. Applied Physics Letters 89, 013120 (2006).
Hirahara, K., et al. Chirality correlation in double-wall carbon nanotubes as studied by electron diffraction. Physical Review B 73, 195420 (2006). Download: Phys. Rev. B 2006 Hirahara.pdf (1.54 MB)
Vieira, S.M.C., Stéphan, O. & Carroll, D.L. Effect of growth conditions on B-doped carbon nanotubes. Journal Of Materials Research 21, 3058–3064 (2006).
Zobelli, A., et al. Defective Structure of BN Nanotubes:  From Single Vacancies to Dislocation Lines. Nano Letters 6, 1955 - 1960 (2006).
Arenal, R., et al. Electron energy loss spectroscopy measurement of the optical gaps on individual boron nitride single-walled and multiwalled nanotubes. Physical Review Letters 95, 127601 (2005). Download: Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005 Arenal.pdf (619.35 KB)
Umek, P., et al. Impact of structure and morphology on gas adsorption of titanate-based nanotubes and nanoribbons. Chemistry Of Materials 17, 5945–5950 (2005).
Arenal, R., et al. EELS measurements in single wall Boron nitride nanotubes. Electronic Properties Of Synthetic Nanostructures 723, 293–297 (2004).
Ferrier, M., et al. Superconductivity in ropes of carbon nanotubes. Solid State Communications 131, 615–623 (2004).
Gavillet, J., et al. Nucleation and growth of single-walled nanotubes: The role of metallic catalysts. Journal Of Nanoscience And Nanotechnology 4, 346–359 (2004).
Gai, P.L., et al. Structural systematics in boron-doped single wall carbon nanotubes. Journal Of Materials Chemistry 14, 669–675 (2004).
Hirahara, K., Bandow, S., Kataura, H., Kociak, M. & Iijima, S. Stretching of carbon-carbon bonds in a 0.7 nm diameter carbon nanotube studied by electron diffraction. Physical Review B 70, 205422 (2004). Download: Phys. Rev. B 2004 Hirahara.pdf (641.41 KB)
Jourdain, V., Stéphan, O., Castignolles, M., Loiseau, A. & Bernier, P. Controlling the morphology of multiwalled carbon nanotubes by sequential catalytic growth induced by phosphorus. Advanced Materials 16, 447–+ (2004).
Trasobares, S., et al. Carbon nanotubes with graphitic wings. Advanced Materials 16, 610–+ (2004).
Stéphan, O., et al. Probing electronic states in nanotubes and related-nanoparticles at the nanometer scale. Electron Microscopy And Analysis 2003 437–442 (2004).
Henrard, L., et al. Near-field electron energy loss of nanotube bundles and surface plasmons coupling in nanocylinders - A continuum dielectric approach. Nanotubes And Nanowires 5219, 16–24 (2003).
Kociak, M., Hirahara, K., Suenaga, K. & Iijima, S. How accurate can the determination of chiral indices of carbon nanotubes be? An experimental investigation of chiral indices determination on DWNT by-electron diffraction. European Physical Journal B 32, 457–469 (2003). Download: Eur. Phys. J. B 2003 Kociak.pdf (1.09 MB)
Kasumov, A.Y., et al. Superconductivity in ropes of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Physica B-Condensed Matter 329, 1321–1322 (2003).
Kasumov, A.Y., et al. Quantum transport through carbon nanotubes: Proximity-induced and intrinsic superconductivity. Physical Review B 68, 214521 (2003).
Taverna, D., et al. Simulations of electron energy-loss spectra of an electron passing near a locally anisotropic nanotube. Journal Of Electron Spectroscopy And Related Phenomena 129, 293–298 (2003).
Kociak, M., et al. Linking chiral indices and transport properties of double-walled carbon nanotubes. Physical Review Letters 89, 155501 (2002). Download: Phys. Rev. Lett. 2002 Kociak.pdf (643.63 KB)
Gavillet, J., et al. Microscopic mechanisms for the catalyst assisted growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes. Carbon 40, 1649–1663 (2002).
Roche, P.E., et al. Very low shot noise in carbon nanotubes. European Physical Journal B 28, 217–222 (2002).
Stéphan, O., et al. Dielectric response of isolated carbon nanotubes investigated by spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy: From multiwalled to single-walled nanotubes. Physical Review B 66, 155422 (2002). Download: Phys. Rev. B 2002 Stéphan.pdf (194.75 KB)
Stéphan, O., et al. Surface plasmon coupling in nanotubes. Structural And Electronic Properties Of Molecular Nanostructures 633, 326–331 (2002).
Taverna, D., Kociak, M., Charbois, V. & Henrard, L. Electron energy-loss spectrum of an electron passing near a locally anisotropic nanotube. Physical Review B 66, 235419 (2002). Download: Phys. Rev. B 2002 Taverna.pdf (191.9 KB)
Syndicate content