高解像度走査型プローブ顕微鏡による炭素材料の評価

抄録

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is an experimental technique that enables the investigation of surface structures and the properties of various materials with high spatial resolution. Using specially designed and prepared probe tips, it is possible to obtain images that show molecular frameworks similar to their ball-stick models. High resolution SPM is also useful to study carbon-based materials. In this article, starting from the basics of SPM, recent studies on the identification of dopants in graphene nanoribbons, the comparison of three different atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques to observe fullerene molecules, and the correlation between AFM images and locations of metallofullerenes in peapod carbon nanotubes are explained.