A study on the mechanical properties of a carbon nanotube probe with a high aspect ratio

Carbon nanotube (CNT) probes are used in atomic force microscopes (AFMs) for high-resolution imaging, especially in the measurement of high aspect ratio micro/nano structures. Due to the use of a longer CNT tip leading to the degradation of image resolution, researchers have used several methods to cut CNTs. However, the principle of the selection of the cutting length has hardly been reported. Moreover, the influence of the effect of size on the mechanical properties of a CNT tip is not fully understood. In this study, an accurate model of finite element simulations is constructed on the basis of scanning electron microscopy data to investigate the mechanical properties of a CNT probe. An elastic model is employed to study the factors that influence the critical buckling force at the CNT tip during the measurement process. The calculation shows that the mechanical stiffness of the probe is affected by the diameter and the length-to-diameter ratio of the CNT tip. The changes in the von Mises stress at the bond between the AFM probe and the CNT tip as well as the variation of the strain energy at the CNT tip are discussed. It is hoped that this study will provide guidance for the selection of the cutting length of CNT-AFM probes and propose a basis for probe selection and design in practical measurements.