2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

One Nanometer Scale Chemical and Structural Analysis of Carbon Nanotubes by STM Tip Enhanced Raman Imaging in Ambient Condition.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23710116
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Nanostructural science
Research Institution	The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
Principal Investigator	CHEN Chi 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 近接場ナノフォトニクス研究チーム, 特別研究員 (20597497)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2012
Keywords	Tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy / Scanning tunneling microscopy / Carbon nanotube
Research Abstract	Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) combined with near field Raman spectroscopy is constructed in this research for hybrid imaging and chemical analysis. SWNT is selected as our sample for tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) because it has very strong Raman signal and clear morphology. We obtained spectrally resolved TERS images at different Raman modes with 1.7 nm spatial resolution. For the first time, the local defect origin of D band, diameter factor of resonance condition, and tube bundling effect are all visualized in real space. We are so exciting to have such high resolution tool and it may change the views and ways of analytical chemistry as well as optics and spectroscopy. This opens new possibilities to investigate nanoscale physics, chemistry, and biology.