Investigation of the carbon nanotube AFM tip contacts: free sliding versus pinned contact.
Mechanical response of carbon nanotube atomic force microscope probes are investigated using a thermal noise forcing. Thermal noise spectra are able to investigate mechanical behaviors that cannot be studied using classical atomic force microscope modes. Experimental results show that the carbon nanotube contacts can be classified in two categories: the free sliding and pinned cases. The pinned contact case requires the description of the cantilever flexural vibrations with support spring-coupled cantilever boundary conditions. Our experimental results show that carbon nanotubes exhibit different contact behaviors with a surface, and in turn different mechanical responses.
Université Bordeaux 1-CPMOH 351, Cours de la Libération, 33405 Talence Cedex, France.
Julien
J
Buchoux
Jean-Pierre
JP
Aimé
Rodolphe
R
Boisgard
Cattien V
CV
Nguyen
Lionel
L
Buchaillot
Sophie
S
Marsaudon