We have investigated atomic force microscopy (AFM) induced displacement of carbon
nanotubes (CNT) on a nanostructured surface. Evidence is given that nano-dots act as
pinning centers for CNT. We show that adhesion between nano-objects and mechanical
properties of nanotubes are the basic mechanisms that control the interaction of mobile and
deformable nano-objects with static nano-dots under the mechanical constraint applied by
the AFM tip.