Fast electron beam–plasma interaction in single-walled carbon nanotubes

A theoretical study on the plasmon-polariton modes coupled with a fast electron beam inside a metallic single-walled carbon nanotube is presented. The Maxwell’s equations coupled with a linearized hydrodynamic model for the nanotube’s charge oscillations are used. By considering the electron beam effects, general expression of dispersion relation of electromagnetic modes on nanotube’s surface is obtained. It is shown numerically that by considering the electron beam effects, the polariton frequency shifts to lower values.     

Analysis of surface and guided wave plasmon polariton modes in insulator–metal–insulator planar plasmonic waveguides

Theoretical and experimental study of the surface plasmon–polariton and guided wave plasmon polariton modes is presented for the Sapphire/Ag/Polycarbonate/Air structure. Theoretical results are obtained by solving complex multilayer eigenvalue equations as well as the reflectivity equation for this structure. It is proposed that the mode attenuation can be significantly reduced by inserting a low index dielectric buffer between the metal and the guiding dielectric layer. The dispersion and attenuation curves are generated. Both the surface plasmon and guided wave plasmon polariton modes are studied experimentally. The experimental values of the effective refractive indices agree well with the theoretical values. The electric field profiles are generated and used to examine the nature of modes. After optimization of various parameters the condition for low loss single mode guiding is obtained for the proposed structure. Effect of metal thickness on surface plasmon mode is also discussed. It is inferred that in a properly optimized plasmonic waveguide, the losses can be reduced by a factor of 4.     

Phonon dispersion relations and soft modes of 4 carbon nanotubes

The phonon dispersion relations of three kinds of 4 carbon nanotubes are calculated by using the density functional perturbation theory. It is found that the frequencies of some phonon modes are very sensitive to the smearing width used in the calculations, and eventually become negative at low electronic temperature. Moreover, two kinds of soft modes are identified for the (5,0) tube which are quite different from those reported previously. Our results suggest that the (5,0) tube remains metallic at very low temperature, instead of the metallic-semiconducting transition claimed before.     

Phonon dispersion relations and soft modes of 4? carbon nanotubes

The phonon dispersion relations of three kinds of 4~? carbon nanotubes are calculated by using the density functional perturbation theory. It is found that the frequencies of some phonon modes are very sensitive to the smearing width used in the calculations, and eventually become negative at low electronic temperature. Moreover, two kinds of soft modes are identified for the (5,0) tube which are quite different from those reported previously. Our results suggest that the (5,0) tube remains metallic at very low temperature, instead of the metallic-semiconducting transition claimed before.     

Structure of connections of single-walled carbon nanotubes with the use of the combined 5–7 and 4–8 topological defects

The structures of zigzag-zigzag, armchair-zigzag, zigzag-chiral, armchair-armchair, armchair-chiral, and chiral-chiral pair connections produced by single-walled carbon nanotubes 1.5–5.0 diameter with the use of the combined 5–7 and 4–8 topological defects have been calculated by molecular mechanics methods. It has been established that the use of the combined 5–7 topological defect makes it possible to produce connections between pairs of single-walled carbon nanotubes with any conductivities, chiralities, and diameters, whereas the use of the combined 4–8 topological defect provides a means for forming connections between nanotubes only with the same type of conductivity. The angles between the axes of nanotubes connected by the combined 5–7 and 4–8 topological defects lie in the ranges 145°–180° and 112°–178°, respectively. It has been revealed that there are correlations between structural parameters of the connections and the relative arrangement of the simple topological defects in the combined topological defects.     

Absorption effects on the longitudinal bulk plasmon–polariton modes in 1D heterostructures containing anisotropic metamaterials

The transmission properties of electromagnetic waves through a one-dimensional layered system containing alternate layers of air and a uniaxial anisotropic left-handed material are investigated. The optical axis of such heterostructure is along the stacking direction and the components of the electric permittivity and magnetic permeability tensors that characterize the metamaterial are modeled by a Drude-type response and a split-ring resonator metamaterial response, respectively. Different plasmon frequencies are considered for directions parallel and perpendicular to the optical axis. For oblique incidence, longitudinal bulk-like plasmon polariton modes are found in the neighborhood of the plasmon frequency along the optical axis and anisotropy leads to the unfolding of nearly dispersionless plasmon–polariton bands either above or below the plasmon frequency. Moreover, it is shown that, even in the presence of loss/absorption, these plasmon polariton modes do survive and, therefore, should be experimentally detected.     

Dielectric-loaded surface plasmon–polariton nanowaveguides fabricated by two-photon polymerization

The design, fabrication, and characterization of dielectric-loaded surface plasmon–polariton nanowave-guides on a gold film are presented. The nanostructures are produced by two-photon polymerization with femtosecond laser pulses, and the minimum ridge height is ∼170 nm. Leakage radiation microscopy shows that these surface plasmon–polariton waveguides are single mode with strong mode confinement at the wavelength of 830 nm. The experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation by the effective-index method.     

Quality of horizontally aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes: Is methane as carbon source better than ethanol?

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of horizontally aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was studied using two representative carbon source sources: ethanol and methane. The resulting SWNTs were compared for similar reaction conditions which were based on the formation of Ni metal nanoparticles selective electrochemical deposition (SED) on the defect sites of SWNTs. The products were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and SEM. The results demonstrate that methane was much better carbon source for growing high quality horizontal alignment of SWNTs than ethanol due to the etching effects of OH radicals on the SWNTs.     

Surface and interfacial morphologies of PAN-CVI carbon–carbon composite

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques have been used to characterize the normal surface and flank surface microstructure of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fiber reinforced chemical vapor infiltrated (CVI) matrix carbon–carbon composite. Optical and SEM results indicate that the CVI deposit consists of two structures: an isotropic phase is present in the fiber bundle-bundle junctions and a second highly oriented lamellar structure is present in the intrabundle matrix. TEM shows that matrix platelets are highly parallel to the fiber axis and the crystallites of the matrix near the fiber surface exhibit better alignment than those farther away from fibers.     

Synthesis,characterization, and interactions of single-walled carbon nanotubes modified with doxorubicin with Langmuir–Blodgett biomimetic membranes

The synthesis, characterization, and the influence of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) modified with an anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOx) on the properties of model biological membrane as well as the comparison of the two modes of modification has been presented. The drug was covalently attached to the nanotubes either preferentially on the sides or at the ends of the nanotubes by the formation of hydrazone bond. The efficiency of the modification was proved by the results of FTIR, Raman, and thermogravimetric analysis. In order to characterize the influence of SWCNT-DOx conjugates on model biological membranes, Langmuir technique has been employed. The mixed monolayers composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol (DPPTE) and SWCNT-DOx with different weight ratio have been prepared. It has been shown that changes in the isotherm characteristics depend on the SWCNTs content. While smaller amounts of SWCNTs do not exert significant differences, the introduction of the prevailing content of the nanotubes increases area per molecule and decreases the maximum value of compression modulus, leading to more fluid monolayer. However, upon increasing the surface pressure, the aggregation of carbon nanotubes within the thiolipid matrix has been observed. Mixed layers of DPPTE/SWCNT-DOx were also transferred onto gold electrodes by means of LB method. Cyclic voltammetry showed that SWCNT-DOx conjugates remain adsorbed at the electrode surface and are stable in time. Additionally, higher values of peak current and DOx surface concentration obtained for side modification prove that side modification allows for more efficient conjugation of the drug to carbon nanotubes.

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On a new mechanism of polariton–polariton scattering

Condensate states of a two-dimensional exciton–polariton system have been considered under the conditions of direct resonant photoexcitation. It has been theoretically predicted that splitting of eigenmodes with orthogonal polarizations leads to the emergence of a new channel of parametric scattering. A polariton condensate spontaneously decays into a set of states in a finite region of the momentum space, thus leading to a strong inhomogeneity in the distributions of the intensity and polarization even in the case of a strictly constant amplitude and zero in-plane momentum of the external field. The new scattering mechanism makes possible self-oscillating and chaotic states of polariton systems.     

Damping of the localized surface plasmon polariton resonance of gold nanoparticles

We report on a strong damping of the localized surface plasmon polariton resonance of gold nanoparticles. The ultra-fast dephasing time of localized surface plasmon polariton resonances in gold nanoparticles was systematically studied as a function of the particle size at a fixed photon energy of h ν=1.85 eV. Dephasing times ranging from T₂^expT_{2}^{\mathrm{exp}} = 5.5 fs to 15.0 fs were extracted and an influence of the reduced dimensions was detected. We have identified two dominant damping mechanisms: the well-known surface scattering and, for the first time, band structure changes. We have quantified the influence of these band structure changes on the optical properties by determining the essential damping parameter A to be A ^exp=0.32 nm/fs.     

Center-of-mass quantization of excitons and Fabry–Perot modes of the polariton in ZnSe epilayers

Reflectance properties of ZnSe epilayers grown on GaAs substrates are studied at 80 K. Oscillation features are observed in the region of exciton resonance which are significantly different depending on the epilayer thickness L. For optically thin layers with thickness in the range of several tens of nanometer, reflectance oscillations appear above the light-hole (lh) exciton, while for optically thick layers with thickness in the range of a micrometer, reflectance oscillations appear between 1s and 2s excitons. These oscillations are interpreted as the quantized levels of the exciton center-of-mass motion in the lower branch of the polariton for optically thin layers and Fabry–Perot modes in the upper branch of the polariton for optically thick layers, respectively. The reflectance data are analyzed in the frame work of a dielectric function with a polariton dispersion.     

Direct laser-writing of dielectric-loaded surface plasmon–polariton waveguides for the visible and near infrared

We demonstrate flexible and low-cost fabrication of dielectric-loaded surface plasmon–polariton waveguides. The waveguide structures are fabricated by two-photon polymerization of commercially available, spin-coatable epoxy-based UV-lithographic resist on a metal covered glass slide. The excitation and guiding properties of the plasmonic waveguides are investigated in the far-field at a wavelength of 632.8 nm by imaging the leakage radiation from the waveguide modes. The optimum bending radius for right angle bends is measured to 6 μm providing a transmission of up to 70%. The functionality of more complex Y-splitters is demonstrated.     

Structure of Lennard–Jones nanowires encapsulated by carbon nanotubes

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the structures of Lennard–Jones(LJ) nanowires(NWs) encapsulated in carbon nanotubes(CNTs). We find that the structures of NWs in a small CNT only adopt multi-shell motifs, while the structures of NWs in a larger CNT tend to adopt various motifs. Among these structures, three of them have not been reported previously. The phase boundaries among these structures are obtained regarding filling fractions, as well as the interaction between NWs and CNTs.     

Growth of aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes under ac electric fields through floating catalyst chemical vapour deposition

Through floating catalyst chemical vapour deposition(CVD) method,well-aligned isolated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and their bundles were deposited on the metal electrodes patterned on the SiO₂/Si surface under ac electric fields at relatively low temperature(280℃). It was indicated that SWCNTs were effectively aligned under ac electric fields after they had just grown in the furnace.The time for a SWCNT to be aligned in the electric field and the effect of gas flow were estimated. Polarized Raman scattering was performed to characterize the aligned structure of SWCNTs. This method would be very useful for the controlled fabrication and preparation of SWCNTs in practical applications.     

Are deformed modes still Raman active for single-wall carbon nanotubes?

Using group theory calculations combined with the force-constant model and molecular-dynamics simulations, whether the deformed modes are Raman active or not for (10,10) and (10,0) single-wall carbon nanotubes under hydrostatic pressure is discussed. With increasing pressure, the tube symmetry lowers from D_20h to D_2h then to C_2h point group. For D_20h, A_1g is changed to A_g, while E_1g and E_2g are split: E_1g→B_2g+B_3g→2B_g and E_2g→A_g+B_1g→2A_g. On the basis of the correlation between D_20h, D_2h, and C_2h point groups, the deformed modes should be still Raman active. The result can help us clarify the essence of the experimental observations.     

Dielectric loaded surface plasmon polariton properties of the Al_2O_3–Al nanostructure

Surface plasmons(SPs) in ultraviolet(UV) have attracted a great deal of attention because of their emerging applications in energy resources, environmental protection, and biotechnology. In this article, the dielectric loaded surface plasmon polariton(DLSPP) properties of the Al_2O_3–Al nanostructure are investigated theoretically. Sharp SP responses can be obtained in deep UV by setting an insulator grating on the aluminum film. It is found that the height of the grating element,the lattice parameter, and the filling factor can all modulate the DLSPPs of the Al_2O_3–Al nanostructure. We further find that this structure is sensitive to the embedding medium and can serve as a refractive index sensor in the UV region. The corresponding sensitivity increases with the decrease of the filling factor. The Al_2O_3–Al nanostructure may be useful for medical diagnostics and biotechnology in deep UV.     

Bundling influence on ultrafast optical nonlinearities of single-walled carbon nanotubes in suspension and composite film

Nonlinear optical characteristics of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) dispersed in dichlorobenzene and imbedded in polymer were investigated at 800 nm using the time-resolved optical Kerr gate technique. For systematic study of the influence of SWCNT bundling on optical nonlinearities, SWCNT solutions with different concentrations and a series of SWCNT/polymer composites deposited on glass substrates with different concentrations and thicknesses were prepared. The nonlinear response was comparable to the pulse duration of the laser used (～90 fs) both in SWCNT solutions and SWCNT/polymer composites. Over three orders of magnitude enhancement was observed in the third-order nonlinear susceptibility of SWCNT/polymer composite film compared with that of SWCNT solution. An appreciable reduction of microscopic and macroscopic nonlinearities was observed with increasing SWCNT concentrations due to stronger bundling of SWCNTs.