Direct growth of single carbon nanofiber onto tip of scanning probe microscopy induced by ion irradiation

Masaki Tanemura, Masashi Kitazawa, Junya Tanaka, Tatsuhiko Okita, Ryo Ohta, Lei Miao, Sakae Tanemura

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A novel method for the direct growth of a single carbon nanofiber (CNF) onto the tip of a commercially available scanning probe microscope (SPM) using Ar+-ion irradiation was demonstrated. This method was proposed on the basis of the experimental fact that the Ar+ ion bombardment of carbon coated substrates induced the formation of conical protrusions that possessed a single CNF at their tip. Commercially available Si SPM tips were coated with carbon and then were Ar+-ion bombarded at room temperature and at 200°C. On the ion-bombarded SPM tips, single CNFs of about 30 nm in diameter grew. Their length, which was controlled by varying the sputtering duration, was typically 0.5-1.5 μm. Using the CNF-tipped probes thus prepared, clear atomic force microscope (AFM) images with a high spatial resolution were attained for Si-grating samples. No deterioration in the spatial resolution was detected after repeated scans for 90 min. Thus, the ion-irradiation method was concluded to be quite promising for the fabrication of practical CNF-tipped SPM probes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2004-2008
Number of pages5
JournalJapanese Journal of Applied Physics, Part 1: Regular Papers and Short Notes and Review Papers
Volume45
Issue number3 B
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006 Mar 27
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • CNF-probe
  • Carbon nanofiber (CNF)
  • Scanning probe microscope (SPM)
  • Sputtering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Engineering(all)
  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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