Nanomachining carbon nanotubes with ion beams

We demonstrate the use of 10 and 30 keV focused beams of Ga+ ions to thin, slice, weld, and alter the structure and composition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes at precise locations along the nanotube axis. This strategy of harnessing ion-beam-induced defect generation and doping could be attractive for modulating chemical and electrical properties along the nanotube length, and fabricate nanotube heterostructures and networks for device applications.