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NanoSculptors carve atom by atom

Submitted by zobelli on Sun, 2009-12-20 23:31
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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.
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Publications

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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).
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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)
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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).
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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).
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Stéphan, O., et al. Probing electronic states in nanotubes and related-nanoparticles at the nanometer scale. Electron Microscopy And Analysis 2003 437–442 (2004).
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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).
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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).
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Stéphan, O., et al. Surface plasmon coupling in nanotubes. Structural And Electronic Properties Of Molecular Nanostructures 633, 326–331 (2002).
Trasobares, S., et al. Compartmentalized CNx nanotubes: Chemistry, morphology, and growth. Journal Of Chemical Physics 116, 8966–8972 (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)
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