Insights into van der Waals interaction between nanotubes and planar surfaces

The theoretical basis for employing the nanotube morphology in advanced AFM is explored by calculating Van der Waals interaction (vdW) between the carbon nanotube (CNT) and a planar disc, a key factor for achieving high imaging sensitivity. The results show that CNT tips exhibit typically much larger vdW with samples than cone tips and therefore outperform traditional cone tips in AFM imaging.