Mechanical detection of carbon nanotube resonator vibrations

Bending-mode vibrations of carbon nanotube resonators were mechanically detected in air at atmospheric pressure by means of a novel scanning force microscopy method. The fundamental and higher order bending eigenmodes were imaged at up to 3.1 GHz with subnanometer resolution in vibration amplitude. The resonance frequency and the eigenmode shape of multiwall nanotubes are consistent with the elastic beam theory for a doubly clamped beam. For single-wall nanotubes, however, resonance frequencies are significantly shifted, which is attributed to fabrication generating, for example, slack. The effect of slack is studied by pulling down the tube with the tip, which drastically reduces the resonance frequency.