Three-dimensional manipulation of carbon nanotubes under a scanning electron microscope

Carbon nanotubes are manipulated in three dimensions inside a scanning elec tron microscope (SEM). A custom piezoelectric vacuum manipulator achieves p ositional resolutions comparable to scanning probe microscopes, with the ab ility to manipulate objects along one rotational and three linear degrees o f freedom. This prototypical device can probe, select and handle nanometre- scale objects such as carbon nanotubes in order to explore and correlate th eir mechanical and electrical properties. Under real-time SEM inspection, c arbon nanotubes are stressed while: monitoring their conductivity, and nano tubes are attached to commercial atomic force microscope (AFM) tips such th at the forces applied to the tubes can be measured from the cantilevers' de flections. The manipulator functions both as a research tool for investigat ing properties of carbon nanotubes and other nanoscale objects without surf ace restrictions, and as a rudimentary building device for larger nanotube assemblies. This capability to select and manipulate nanoscale components a nd to examine directly their suitability as construction materials during v arious phases of the construction process will play an important role in en abling the technology of assembling mechanical and electronic devices from prefabricated components.