Double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) have been successfully used as AFM tips. DWNT tips have been found to possess great advantages over multi-wall CNT- and single-wall CNT-tips in terms of a unique combination of high resolution and high aspect ratio imaging together with a longer lifetime of the tip. The high quality DWNTs prepared by the high-temperature discharge method is attached to the AFM tip by manipulation during SEM observation. The comparison with DWNT tips and other conventional tips shows that the DWNT tip manufactured in the present study has the high lateral resolution on nanomaterials such as single-wall carbon nanotubes. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.