Temperature mapping on a suspended carbon nanotube using electron thermal microscopy

Nanoscale thermal mapping along an individual multi-walled carbon nanotube suspended between two electrodes/heat-sinks was successfully demonstrated by using the solid/liquid phase transition of indium nanoparticles in a transmission electron microscope. The brightness shift of nanoparticles in the dark-field image was clearly recognized according to the DC heating of the nanotube. It was also found that the indium deposition induces defects in the nanotube, resulting in the decrease of thermal conductivity. The temperature distribution along the nanotube obtained from the dark-field images showed good agreement with the simulated data of a defective nanotube with Joule-heating.