Scanning tunneling microscopy of carbon nanotubes and nanocones Original Research Article

Tubular and conical carbon shell structures can be synthesized in the vapor phase. Very hot carbon vapor, after being deposited onto highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), forms a variety of nanostructures, in particular single-shell tubes, multishell tubes, bundles of tubes, and cones. The structures were analyzed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in UHV. Atomic resolution images show directly the surface atomic structures of the tubes and their helicities. A growth pathway is proposed for fullerenes, tubes, and cones.