ABSTRACT
Here we show how a high-resolution transmission electron
microscopy can be applied to characterize the carbon nanos-
tructures. Direct imaging of the hexagonal network of carbon
nanotube enables us to determine the chiral index and to visualize
the topological defects, such as pentagons and heptagons. Individual
molecular imaging has also become possible, and atomic structure
of fullerene molecules (C60 and C80) has been successfully identified
at a single-molecular basis. Some recent progress for in situ observation of the carbon nanotube/fullerene growth and the defect dynam-
ics is also presented.
