Title: Nanomanipulation and characterisation of individual nano-objects inside a SEM

Authors: Denise Nakabayashi, Paulo C. Silva, Daniel Ugarte

Addresses: Laboratorio Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS), Cx.P. 6192, 13083-970 Campinas SP, Brazil; Depto. Fisica Aplicada, Instituto de Fisica 'Gleb Wataghin', Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Cx.P. 6165, 13083-970 Campinas SP, Brazil. ' Laboratorio Nacional de Luz Sincrotron (LNLS), Cx.P. 6192, 13083-970 Campinas SP, Brazil. ' Laboratorio Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS), Cx.P. 6192, 13083-970 Campinas SP, Brazil; Depto. Fisica Aplicada, Instituto de Fisica 'Gleb Wataghin', Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Cx.P. 6165, 13083-970 Campinas SP, Brazil

Abstract: This paper describes the use of nanomanipulation for deforming, picking up and positioning nano-objects in situ in a field emission scanning electron microscope using an in-house built manipulator. Our experiments demonstrate that physical manipulation can be used in a wide range of different experiments and systems. The scope of possibilities is quite large, from mounting nanodevices to fabricating AFM tips based on CNTs in addition to measuring mechanical and electrical properties of individual nanosystems. Nanomanipulation has a large application potential in physics, chemistry, biology and engineering, rendering possible the idealised bottom-up approach to nanotechnology.

Keywords: field emission SEM; nanomanipulation; nanostructures; nanotechnology; nanoobjects; scanning electron microscopy; nanoobject deformation; nanoobject picking up; nanoobject positioning; nanoobject manipulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2007.014755

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2007 Vol.4 No.5, pp.609 - 617

Published online: 06 Aug 2007 *

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