Figure 1. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images and corresponding current–voltage curves of a strained carbon chain.

The temporal evolution of a carbon chain between two graphitic contacts is shown; (a) at an arbitrary time zero; (b) after 9 s; (c) after 13 s. See also the Supplementary Movie. The corresponding current–voltage curves illustrate qualitatively the same semiconducting behaviour, although with a decreasing conductivity from a to c. Scale bars, 2 nm.