Measuring the compression of a carbon nanospring

The mechanical response of a multiwalled carbon nanospring was examined with an atomic force microscope. Cantilever deflection, oscillation amplitude, and resonance were simultaneously monitored during the cycled movement of the scanner. A nonlinear response of the nanospring was observed, consistent with compression and buckling of the nanospring. This is the first reported measurement of a shift in the cantilever resonance frequency as a result of the interaction of a nanospring-tipped cantilever with the substrate.