Nanomanipulation of Carbon Nanotubes with the Vector Scanning Mode of Atomic Force Microscope

The miniaturization of electronics devices into the nanometer scale is indispensable for next generation semiconductor technology, and CNTs are considered to be the promising candidates for the future nanoelectronics devices with being manipulated to the appropriate location in the manufacturing process of nanodevices. So the new vector scanning mode nanomanipulation is proposed and studied through the nanomanipulation experiments of nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes. According to the specific vectors, carbon nanotubes can accurately achieve the specified operation. And in the movement of carbon nanotubes, the deformation and rotation appear at times, which is caused by many factors, such as material itself properties, the size and direction of propulsive force of AFM tip, the adhesion between carbon nanotubes and substrate surface. In addition, under the influence of many factors, the carbon nanotubes can be manipulated without the indentation or other mechanical damages at the contact position between carbon nanotubes and AFM probe tip due to high elasticity and strength, etc, but the indentation become obvious in the nanomanipulation process of polystyrene nanoparticles because of own property. So, the new vector scanning mode nanomanipulation, based on AFM system, is demonstrated that it is an effective and reliable technique for manipulation of carbon nanotubes for the future nanodevices.