Purdue News Photos
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This image shows a carbon nanotube attached to a conventional silicon tip used on an instrument called an atomic force microscope, which is used to measure tiny features on the scale of nanometers. Forces between individual atoms called van der Waals' forces cause the flexible, vibrating probe to stick to the sides of the tiny structures, producing "artifacts," or inaccuracies in the final image. Purdue researchers have shown how to avoid the sticking action and prevent certain artifacts so that nanotubes can be better used in the emerging field of "nanometrology."
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This image shows a comparison between an image taken with a conventional silicon tip (left) and a nanotube, both used on an atomic force microscope to scan the surface of an object to measure tiny contours on the scale of nanometers. While nanotubes are more slender and flexible than the silicon tips, making them ideal to reach into the nooks and crannies of nano-structures, the tubes have a tendency to stick to the sides of the structures because of forces between individual atoms called van der Waals' forces. The sticking action results in "artifacts," or inaccuracies in the final image. The image on the left shows an image taken with a conventional tip, and the other image shows an example of artifacts caused by the sticking action. Purdue researchers have shown how to avoid the sticking action and prevent certain artifacts so that nanotubes can be better used in the emerging field of "nanometrology."
(Purdue School of Mechanical Engineering images)
The story accompanying these photographs can be seen by clicking this link to Raman.nanotubes
For more information about photographs, send e-mail to:
David Umberger
Associate Director
Purdue News Service
umberger@purdue.edu
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