Precision cutting of nanotubes with a low-energy electron beam

We report on a method to locally remove material from carbon and boron nitride nanotubes using the low-energy focused electron beam of a scanning electron microscope. Using this method, clean precise cuts can be made into nanotubes, either part-way through (creating hingelike geometries) or fully through (creating size-selected nanotube segments). This cutting mechanism involves foreign molecular species and differs from electron-beam-induced knock-on damage in transmission electron microscopy. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.