Nanotube Group / MANA

In-situ TEM electrical and mechanical measurements on nanotubes

In-situ TEM setup using a piezo-driven holder for the analysis of electron transport and deformation of nanotubes (left) and a representative I-V curve measured on an individual Boron Nitride nanotube inside TEM (right)

Structure and properties of filled nanotubes

Types and applications of filled nanotubes analyzed within the Group (left); low- and high-resolution TEM images of a Fe-Co magnetic alloy filled Carbon nanotube; the interface between the Fe-Co alloy nanowire and the shielding nanotube clearly reveals atomic steps on the wire/tube boundary.

Making electrical nanoswitch based on liquid Ga-filled C nanotube

Electrical nanoswitch made of a liquid Ga-filled Carbon nanotube; (left) the nanotube is placed between two metal electrodes and a gap in a Ga-filling is made with the aid of an atomic force microscope tip (1); under heating the two Ga columns approach each other due to thermal expansion and finally merge (2-4); two-probe electrical resistance of the filled tube is measured at various stages of the process (top-right); when the columns merge the resistance drastically drops producing a unique switching action. (Low-right) the process of column approaching recorded in TEM.

Unusual behavior of Indium liquid in silica nanotubes

We succeeded to synthesize silica nanotubes encapsulating indium metal. (Adv. Mater. 16, 37, 2004) Unusual dynamical behaivior can be revealed during 'in-situ' observations in an electron microscope.

Dynamical observation of bending and kinking of BN nanotubes

Real-time movies of individual multi-walled Boron Nitride nanotube bending (upper frame) and kinking (low frame) recorded inside a high-resolution 300 kV JEOL-3000F transmission electron microscope using a new fully integrated TEM-AFM piezo-driven holder under continuous tracking of force-displacement values. These results were reported by us in Nano Lett. Vol. 7, No. 7, 2146-2157, 2007: [Golberg D. et al. “Direct force measurements and kinking under elastic deformation of individual multiwalled Boron Nitride nanotubes”].

Dynamical observation of BN nanotubes

Reversible elastic kinking of an individual multi-walled BN nanotube under bending in TEM.

Decomposition through formation of B balls and sudden "explosion" of a multi-walled BN nanotube under biasing to 140 V in STM-TEM

Dynamical observation of C nanotubes

Stepwise absorption of C multi-walled nanotube inner shell packages by a tungsten
STM electrode under a current flow through the system.

Gradual melting and release of copper from a multi-walled carbon nanotube under Joule-heating and electromigration in the STEM-TEM holder.