Destructive constructions of nanostructures with carbon nanotubes through nanorobotic manipulation

Nanostructures are constructed with destructively fabricated nano building blocks based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes through three-dimensional nanorobotic manipulation in free space. In situ mechanical property characterization is applied for the selection of a nanotube with desired elasticity. Destructive fabrication is demonstrated as an effective way to obtain layered and/or sharpened structures of nanotubes for the applications as nanobearings and probe tips, linear nanobearing motion has been observed, and a method is shown by using surface clamping van der Waals forces for the better control of the geometries of the nanotubes with destructive fabrication. The prepared building blocks are positioned together with nanorobotic manipulators under real-time observation with a field-emission scanning electron microscope, and are constructed through electron-beam-induced deposition.