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The present study covers the nanoanalysis methods for four key material characteristics: electrical and electronic properties, optical, stress and strain, and chemical composition. With the downsizing of the geometrical dimensions of the electronic, optoelectronic, and electromechanical devices from the micro to the nanoscale and the simultaneous increase in the functionality density, the previous generation of microanalysis methods is no longer sufficient. Therefore, the metrology of materials' properties with nanoscale resolution is a prerequisite in materials' research and development. The article reviews the standard analysis methods and focuses on the advanced methods with a nanoscale spatial resolution based on atomic force microscopy (AFM): current‐sensing AFM (CS‐AFM), Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), and hybrid optical techniques coupled with AFM including tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), photothermal‐induced resonance (PTIR) characterization methods (nano‐Vis, nano‐IR), and photo‐induced force microscopy (PIFM). The simultaneous acquisition of multiple parameters (topography, charge and conductivity, stress and strain, and chemical composition) at the nanoscale is a key for exploring new research on structure–property relationships of nanostructured materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nano/microelectromechanical systems (N/MEMS). Advanced nanocharacterization techniques foster the design and development of new functional materials for flexible hybrid and smart applications. Combining different methods with scanning probe microscopy allows the breaking limitations of conventional microanalytics. Such a powerful combination is illustrated by an atomic force microscopy combined with plasmonics that makes breaking the diffraction limit of light possible. This synergistic combination of different methods gives access to a large number of sample properties at the nanoscale in a single experiment.

The authors propose an on‐chip microfluidic flow chemistry for non‐covalent functionalization of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as channel material in nanoelectronic carbon‐nanotube field‐effect transistors (CNT‐FETs) specifically aiming for personalized optoplasmonic sensor solutions. Applying pyrene alkanethiol derivatives, dissolved in chloroform, and a dispersion of gold nanoparticles in triglyme, the authors conduct the proof‐of‐principle to fabricate arrays of photosensitive CNT‐FETs using flow chemistry on wafer‐compatible hardware. The spectral photoresponse of the obtained sensor devices appears clear and reproducible and can be related to the surface plasmon polaritons of the gold nanoparticles. The sensor devices yield photometric responsivities of RA≈ 8 × 10−3AW−1and response times of t0≈ 9 s. The results extend a previously reported approach for covalent functionalization (Blaudeck et al., Microelectron. Eng. 2015, 137, 135) and show the potential of flow chemistry combined with wafer‐level microfabrication for selectively functionalized nanostructured sensor arrays. Carbon‐nanotube field‐effect transistors (CNT‐FETs)are non‐covalently functionalized to achieve arrays of optoplasmonic sensors. The on‐chip method comprises flow chemistry with solutions of pyrene alkanethiol derivatives and dispersions of gold nanoparticles. CNT‐FETs keep their properties and show a clear and reproducible optoelectronic response. The pyrene alkanethiol derivatives show even support of the disentanglement of SWCNT solid material in organic solvents.

Herein, the evolution of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as functional material in nano‐ and microelectromechanical systems (N/MEMS) is featured. Introducing material morphologies for the CNTs in a homologue series (single CNTs—bundles, fibers, yarns—networks and thin films), different concepts for mechanical sensors based on the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of the CNT materials are introduced (piezoresistive effect, strain‐induced band bending, charge tunneling). In a rigorous theoretical treatment, the limits of the achievable sensor performance (i.e., gauge factor) are derived and discussed in the context of applications. A careful literature survey shows that highest sensitivity is reached for devices exploiting the intrinsic transport properties of single CNTs. For reliability tests of such sensor systems made from nanomaterials and classical MEMS, the specimen‐centered approach (SCA) is introduced to give viable insights into the structure property relationships and failure modes of CNT mechanical sensors. CNT actuation occurs on the macro‐, micro‐, and nanoscales via atomic force microscopy, electrostatic gating, integration in N/MEMS systems, or through substrate bending. Materials containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have rendered suitable for nano‐ and microelectromechanical systems. Herein, current concepts are reviewed for nanomechanical sensing based on intrinsic and network‐related effects in the CNT materials. Analysis is done for a homologue series of CNT solids and includes the viewpoints of theory, experiment, and nanomechanical reliability. Differential gauge factors are extracted for standardized comparison.

Nanoanalysis Sensoric micro and nanosystems involve research from materials chemistry, solid‐state physics, and microelectromechanical engineering. In article number 1900106, Evgeniya Sheremet, Peter Meszmer, Raul D. Rodriguez and co‐workers present recent advances in scanning probe microscopy applied to micro‐ and nanoelectromechanical systems.