Resonance Raman scattering: nondestructive and noninvasive technique for structural and electronic characterization of isolated single-wall carbon nanotubes

We discuss how resonance micro-Raman spectroscopy can determine the electronic and structural properties of individual isolated single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) that can be further used for potential nanodevices or studied by different experimental techniques. We show that it is possible to mark the surface of the Si/SiO2 substrate for localization of the isolated SWNTs by using a diamond tip. By timing the growth procedure, a low density of SWNTs on the substrate can be obtained so that the SWNT localization by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is trivial. We also characterize a SWNT by resonance Raman spectroscopy at the edge of a Si-SWNT-AFM tip. There results show that it is possible to make joint experiments on the same isolated SWNT.