Identifying individual single-walled and double-walled carbon nanotubes by atomic force microscopy.
We show that the number of concentric graphene cylinders forming a carbon nanotube can be found by squeezing the tube between an atomic force microscope tip and a silicon substrate. The compressed height of a single-walled nanotube (double-walled nanotube) is approximately two (four) times the interlayer spacing of graphite. Measured compression forces are consistent with the predicted bending modulus of graphene and provide a mechanical signature for identifying individual single-walled and double-walled nanotubes.
DeBorde
Tristan
T
Department of Physics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97330, USA.
Joiner
J Caleb
JC
Leyden
Matthew R
MR
Minot
Ethan D
ED