Structural and electronic distortions in individual carbon nanotubes under laser irradiation in the electron microscope

Correlated electronic and structural distortions in individual carbon nanotubes induced by photon excitation are observed for the first time by using a unique in situ transmission electron microscope configuration. By combining sub-100-meV resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy with in situ photon excitation of the specimen, we are able to measure carbon nanotube expansions coupled to electronic transitions in their density of states as a …