Scanning and transmission electron microscope images of a suspended single-walled carbon nanotube

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 89; no. 1; pp. 013120 - 013120-3
• Main Authors: Kasumov, Yu A., Khodos, I. I., Kociak, M., Kasumov, A. Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Institute of Physics 03-07-2006
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2216034

For the first time we perform simultaneous observations of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope modes of a transmission electron microscope equipped with a scanning attachment operating at
100
kV
. We show that in the SEM mode both individual single-walled carbon nanotubes situated on thin
Si
3
N
4
membranes and portions of these tubes projecting far beyond the membranes can be observed. The contrast and width of the nanotube images depend on their diameter and density on a substrate. Possible mechanisms of the observed nanotube contrast are discussed.