title: Atomic monolayer deposition on the surface of nanotube mechanical resonators.
abstract: We study monolayers of noble gas atoms (Xe, Kr, Ar, and Ne) deposited on individual ultraclean suspended nanotubes. For this, we record the resonance frequency of the mechanical motion of the nanotube, since it provides a direct measure of the coverage. The latter is the number of adsorbed atoms divided by the number of the carbon atoms of the suspended nanotube. Monolayers form when the temperature is lowered in a constant pressure of noble gas atoms. The coverage of Xe monolayers remains constant at 1/6 over a large temperature range. This finding reveals that Xe monolayers are solid phases with a triangular atomic arrangement, and are commensurate with the underlying carbon nanotube. By comparing our measurements to theoretical calculations, we identify the phases of Ar and Ne monolayers as fluids, and we tentatively describe Kr monolayers as solid phases. These results underscore that mechanical resonators made from single nanotubes are excellent probes for surface science.
authors.affiliation: ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavernarakis
authors.affiliation: Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chaste
authors.affiliation: ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain and Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eichler
authors.affiliation: Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceballos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera, km 1, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gordillo
authors.affiliation: Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, B4-B5 Campus Nord, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boronat
authors.affiliation: ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain and Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachtold