Electromagnetic vortices in an array of carbon nanotubes

The dynamics of electromagnetic vortices in an array of carbon nanotubes is investigated. The electromagnetic field is described by Maxwell (two-dimensional wave) equations. Calculation modeling is performed. The resulting mass center velocity of the vortices is zero, and the intensity distribution its field changes periodically over time.     

Two-dimensional light bullets in an array of carbon nanotubes

The problem of the propagation of two-dimensional solitary electromagnetic waves in an array of carbon nanotubes has been considered. The electromagnetic field and the electron system of carbon nanotubes have been treated on the basis of the Maxwell’s equations and the Boltzmann kinetic equation in the relaxation-time approximation, respectively. The derived effective equation has been analyzed and the state of the electromagnetic field that is localized in two spatial dimensions has been found.     

Polarons in carbon nanotubes

We use ab initio total-energy calculations to predict the existence of polarons in semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We find that the CNTs' band edge energies vary linearly and the elastic energy increases quadratically with both radial and with axial distortions, leading to the spontaneous formation of polarons. Using a continuum model parametrized by the ab initio calculations, we estimate electron and hole polaron lengths, energies, and effective masses and analyze their complex dependence on CNT geometry. Implications of polaron effects on recently observed electro- and optomechanical behavior of CNTs are discussed.     

Dominoes in carbon nanotubes

We demonstrate by molecular dynamics simulations that the domino process can be developed in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Once a section of a SWCNT with an appropriate diameter (>3.5 nm) is collapsed, the successive collapse of the neighboring portions can generate a domino wave along the longitudinal direction of the tube. The wave is driven by van der Waals potential energy and its natural speed can be up to 1 km/s. Molecules inside the SWCNT can be accelerated by the domino wave and finally shot out. The finding shows for the first time that a SWCNT can be an energy supplier, which provides opportunities for designing new concept (domino-driven) nanoelectromechanical system devices.     

Phonons in carbon nanotubes

A broad review of the unusual one-dimensional properties of phonons in carbon nanotubes is presented, including phonons in isolated nanotubes and in crystalline arrays of nanotubes in nanotube bundles. The main technique for probing the phonon spectra has been Raman spectroscopy and the many unique and unusual features of the Raman spectra of carbon nanotubes are reviewed. Also included is a brief review of the thermal properties of carbon nanotubes in relation to their unusual phonon dispersion relations and density of states.     

Synthesis of carbon nanofibers and nanotubes in an activated-hydrogen reactor

The parameters of multilayer carbon nanotubes and nanofibers synthesized by pyrolysis of acetylene in a reactor filled with hydrogen activated by diffusion through a hot metallic wall, as well as synthesis products, are studied. The results of synthesis with catalysts applied on the substrate and in the gaseous phase are reported.     

Excitons in carbon nanotubes: an ab initio symmetry-based approach

The optical absorption spectrum of the carbon (4,2) nanotube is computed using an ab initio many-body approach which takes into account excitonic effects. We develop a new method involving a local basis set which is symmetric with respect to the screw-symmetry of the tube. Such a method has the advantages of scaling faster than plane-wave methods and allowing for a precise determination of the symmetry character of the single-particle states, two-particle excitations, and selection rules. The binding energy of the lowest, optically active states is approximately 0.8 eV. The corresponding exciton wave functions are delocalized along the circumference of the tube and localized in the direction of the tube axis.     

The electrical conduction variation in stained carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes become stained from coupling with foreign molecules, especially from adsorbing gas molecules. The charge exchange, which is due to the orbital hybridization, occurred in the stained carbon nanotube induces electrical dipoles that consequently vary the electrical conduction of the nanotube. We propose a microscopic model to evaluate the electrical current variation produced by the induced electrical dipoles in a stained zigzag carbon nanotube. It is found that stronger orbital hybridization strengths and larger orbital energy differences between the carbon nanotube and the gas molecules help increasing the induced electrical dipole moment. Compared with the stain-free carbon nanotube, the induced electrical dipoles suppress the current in the nanotube. In the carbon nanotubes with induced dipoles the current increases as a result of increasing orbital energy dispersion via stronger hybridization couplings. In particular, at a fixed hybridization coupling, the current increases with the bond length for the donor-carbon nanotube but reversely for the acceptor-carbon nanotube.     

The rehybridization of electronic orbitals in carbon nanotubes

Rehybridization of electronic orbitals in carbon nanotubes contains tilting angles of π orbital, electrons wavefunctions of π orbital and a orbital, degrees of hybridization, etc. In this paper, we have obtained analytical formulas of tilting angle of π orbital relative to tube surface, electrons wavefunctions of π orbital and a orbital, degrees of hybridization, separately, as well as the numerical results.     

Scattering by an array of parallel metallic carbon nanotubes

The scattering of electromagnetic wave by an array of parallel metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes is investigated based on the boundary-value method. Electronic excitations over each nanotube surface are modeled as an infinitesimally thin cylindrical layer of the free-electron gas. The scattering cross section of both transverse magnetic （TM） and transverse electric （TE） uniform plane waves by the system at normal incidences is obtained.     

Packing configurations for methane storage in carbon nanotubes

In this paper we investigate methane packing in single-walled carbon nanotubes. We employ classical applied mathematical modelling using the basic principles of mechanics to exploit the Lennard-Jones potential function and the continuous approximation, which assumes that intermolecular interactions can be approximated by average atomic surface densities. We consider both zigzag and spiral configurations formed by packing methane molecules into (9, 5), (8, 8) and (10, 10) carbon nanotubes, and we derive analytical expressions for the interaction potential energy of these configurations. Our findings indicate that for the zigzag configuration for a (9, 5) tube, the potential energy of the system is minimized when the methane molecules simply form a linear chain along the tube axis, but genuine zigzag patterns are found as the tube size increases such as for the (8, 8) and (10, 10) tubes. For the spiral configuration, the potential energy of the system is minimized when the angular spacing is approximately equal to π for the (9, 5) and (8, 8) tubes, and π/2 for the (10, 10) tube. Overall, our results are in good agreement with molecular dynamics simulations in the literature and show that the most energetically efficient packing configuration of the three tubes studied, occurs for a (10, 10) tube with a zigzag packing, while a (10, 10) tube with a spiral packing configuration has the largest free-cavity volume for methane adsorption at higher temperatures.     

Interaction of two-dimensional electromagnetic breathers in an array of carbon nanotubes

The propagation and interaction of two-dimensional bipolar electromagnetic pulses in an array of semiconducting carbon nanotubes have been investigated. The electromagnetic field in the array of carbon nanotubes has been described by the Maxwell’s equations reduced to the non-one-dimensional wave equation. The initial distribution of the field has been specified in the form of approaching breathers bounded by a Gaussian profile in the plane perpendicular to the pulse propagation direction. The numerical solution of the wave equation has revealed the possibility of stable propagation of breathers in the array of carbon nanotubes. It has been found that the interaction of electromagnetic breathers in the array of semiconducting carbon nanotubes has a character of quasi-elastic collisions.     

Dissipative solitons in carbon nanotubes

The theoretical possibility of the existence of dissipative solitons in an array of carbon nanotubes when they are subjected to external uniform high-frequency electric field is discussed. An external alternating field is used for energy pumping of the electron subsystem, while a finite relaxation time leads to energy dissipation. The generation of a periodic sequence of electromagnetic pulses is revealed.     

Quantum transport in carbon nanotubes

A survey will be given on selected experiments showing evidence of quantum transport in carbon nanotubes. The phenomena involve electron confinement, single electron effects and Coulomb–Blockade, Kondo-physics, conductance quantisation, Aharonov–Bohm effect, phase breaking in ballistic transport, and magnetochiral anisotropy.     

The density of states for carbon nanotubes in a uniform magnetic field

Dispersion laws for carbon nanotubes in a uniform magnetic field are obtained in an explicit form in a zero-range-potential model. The band structure of the spectrum is studied, and the density of states is calculated numerically.     

Correlated transport in carbon nanotubes

The low-energy theory for single-wall armchair carbon nanotubes including Coulomb interactions is given. It describes two fermion chains without interchain hopping but coupled in a specific way by the interaction. The strong-coupling properties are studied by bosonization, and the consequences for experiments on single armchair nanotubes are discussed.     

Spin-polarized transport in carbon nanotubes

We present transport measurements of ferromagnetically contacted carbon nanotubes. In both single- and multi-walled nanotube devices, a spin valve effect is observed due to spin-polarized transport. In one single-walled nanotube device, the spin-valve effect is suppressed as the influence of Coulomb charging is observed at around 10 K. To help understand the interplay between the Coulomb charging and the spin-polarized transport we investigated the temperature dependence of the carbon nanotube magnetoresistance.     

Charge pumping in carbon nanotubes

We demonstrate charge pumping in semiconducting carbon nanotubes by a traveling potential wave. From the observation of pumping in the nanotube insulating state we deduce that transport occurs by packets of charge being carried along by the wave. By tuning the potential of a side gate, transport of either electron or hole packets can be realized. Prospects for the realization of nanotube based single-electron pumps are discussed.