Nanometric lattice defects and distortion in the Buckyball cage in C60films revealed by scanning tunnelling microscopy

Abstract
The scanning tunnelling microscopy technique has been successfully used for high-resolution imaging of the C60 lattice as well as the submolecular features of the carbon cage of C60 molecules. The present study has facilitated further insight into the nanometric defect structure of the C60 lattice which is found to be compatible with the f.c.c. structure, and the resolved images of the individual buckyballs are revealed to be distorted.