Qualitative evidence of the flexoelectric effect in a single multi-wall carbon nanotube by nanorobotic manipulation

The flexoelectric effect corresponds to the linear variation of electric polarization a material subjected strain gradient (i.e., during its mechanical bending). Unlike piezoelectricity, it also exists in non-centrosymmetric materials. Furthermore, due term, magnitude can increase as size system decreases. Thanks this effect, nanoscale systems could be used harvest thermal vibration energy power microdevice. These multi-wall carbon nanotubes since they are known bend easily an elastic manner. However, is very challenging experimentally measure behavior single nanotube small (less than 50 nm diameter), low level induced charges, and need vary imposed stress. To progress direction, six-degree-of-freedom robot with fiber tip inside dual-beam microscope pick up few from tangle connect them tip. After ion-soldering two tips, each dynamically bent several times while monitoring brightness bending area effective radius curvature. This allowed us demonstrate qualitatively at nanotube.