Abstract
Spherical aberration correctors recently developed for transmission electron microscopes (TEM) and scanning TEM (STEM) have enabled direct imaging of single molecules and atoms at low electron acceleration voltages. Here, we review some recent studies on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and fullerene nanopeapods using aberration-corrected TEM/STEM operated at 120 kV or lower voltages. Local structures of individual CNTs are visualized in details including various defects such as atomic vacancies and so-called Stone-Wales defects. Atomic-level structures of fullerene molecules inside CNTs are unambiguously visualized. Single atoms of lanthanides and calcium in nanopeapods are identified by using STEM-EELS operated at 60 kV.
