Catalyst-free growth of amorphous silicon nanowires by laser ablation

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) appear to be ideal tip materials of atomic force microscopy (AFM) due to their small diameter and high stiffness. In this study, double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) structures with different lengths of inner and outer layers are proposed as AFM tips. Both the vibration response and mode shapes of the tipped nanotubes under axial compression are studied by a theoretical nanobeam model. The results show that the natural frequencies of DWCNTs are significantly affected by the compressive loads and the length difference between the inner and outer nanotubes. The natural frequency associated with certain vibrational modes decreases with increasing compressive loads. This research may provide a useful reference for practical design for AFM tips with CNTs.     

Free vibration characteristics of double-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in an elastic medium

In this Letter, a theoretical analysis of the resonant vibration of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and the DWCNTs embedded in an elastic medium is presented based on Euler-Bernoulli beam model and Winkler spring model. The vibration modes of DWCNTs are quite different from those of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The resonant vibrations of DWCNTs are found to have in-phase and anti-phase modes, in which the deflections of the inner and outer nanotubes occur in the same and opposite directions, respectively. For the vibration of DWCNTs with the same harmonic numbers, the resonant frequencies of anti-phase mode are larger than the ones of in-phase mode. Moreover, influence of the surrounding medium on the resonant vibrations is investigated using the Winkler spring model. The results show that surrounding medium makes a strong impact on the vibration frequencies of in-phase mode, but little on those of anti-phase mode.     

Frequency change by inter-walled length difference of double-wall carbon nanotube resonator

Ultrahigh frequency nanomechanical resonators based on double-walled carbon nanotubes with different wall lengths were investigated via classical molecular dynamics simulations. For a double-walled carbon nanotube resonator with a short outer wall, the free edge of the short outer wall plays an important role in the vibration of the long inner wall. For a double-walled carbon nanotube resonator with a short inner wall, the short inner wall can be considered as a flexible core, thus, the fundamental frequency is influenced by its length. By controlling the length of the inner or outer wall, various frequency devices can be realized by a single type of double-walled carbon nanotube with walls of equal length.     

Vibrations of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes with layerwise boundary conditions: A molecular dynamics study

In the present work, the vibration characteristics of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes under various layerwise boundary conditions at different lengths are investigated. This is accomplished by the use of molecular dynamics simulations based on the Tersoff-Brenner and Lennard-Jones potential energy functions. The effects of initial tensile and compressive strains on the resonant frequency of carbon nanotubes are also taken into consideration. From the results generated, it is observed that the natural frequency of carbon nanotubes is strongly dependent on their boundary conditions especially when tubes are shorter in length. The natural frequency and its dependence on tube end conditions reduce by increasing the tube length. The natural frequency of DWCNTs lies between those of the constituent inner and outer SWCNTs and is nearer to those of the outer one. It is further observed that the natural frequency is highly sensitive to tensile and compressive strains. The frequency shift occurring in the presence of small initial strains is positive for tensile strains and negative for compressive strains. The results obtained provide valuable information for calibrating the small scaling parameter of the nonlocal models for the vibration problem of carbon nanotubes.     

Nonlinear free vibrations of curved double walled carbon nanotubes using differential quadrature method

Nonlinear free vibration analysis of curved double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) embedded in an elastic medium is studied in this study. Nonlinearities considered are due to large deflection of carbon nanotubes (geometric nonlinearity) and nonlinear interlayer van der Waals forces between inner and outer tubes. The differential quadrature method (DQM) is utilized to discretize the partial differential equations of motion in spatial domain, which resulted in a nonlinear set of algebraic equations of motion. The effect of nonlinearities, different end conditions, initial curvature, and stiffness of the surrounding elastic medium, and vibrational modes on the nonlinear free vibration of DWCNTs is studied. Results show that it is possible to detect different vibration modes occurring at a single vibration frequency when CNTs vibrate in the out-of-phase vibration mode. Moreover, it is observed that boundary conditions have significant effect on the nonlinear natural frequencies of the DWCNT including multiple solutions.     

Radial breathing vibration of double-walled carbon nanotubes subjected to pressure

A theoretical vibrational analysis of the radial breathing mode (RBM) of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) subjected to pressure is presented based on an elastic continuum model. The results agree with reported experimental results obtained under different conditions. Frequencies of the RBM in DWCNTs subjected to increasing pressure depend strongly on circumferential wave numbers, but weakly on the aspect ratio and axial half-wave numbers. For the inner and outer tubes of DWCNTs, the frequency of the RBM increases obviously as the pressure increases under different conditions. The range of variation is smaller for the inner tube than the outer tube.     

Analytical approaches for vibration analysis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes modeled as multiple nonlocal Euler beams

This paper concerns with the effect of small scale on the vibrational characteristics of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modeled as multiple nonlocal Euler beams. In this model, each nanotube interacts with its neighbors through the van der Waals force. Analytical approaches are expressed to solve coupled governing equations of the motion. Results for double- and five-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs and FWCNTs), as two specific examples of MWCNTs, are presented for various boundary conditions. Then, effect of small scale on the natural and intertube resonant frequencies and their associated amplitude ratios are discussed. Besides the effect of small scale, the effect of end conditions on the vibrational properties and a comparison between the methods are provided. Natural and intertube frequencies reduce with the introduction of nonlocal parameter. However, reduction of intertube frequencies is less than the natural frequencies. Moreover, it is provided that the effect of small scale stiffens the van der Waals force and causes MWCNTs to behave similar to a single beam in high values of nonlocal parameter. Also, this study reveals that in high mode numbers, natural frequencies of a multiple classical Euler beams system tend to frequencies of its constituent beams.     

范德华力对双壁碳纳米管轴向压缩屈曲行为的影响

使用分子动力学方法研究几种不同半径尺寸的单壁碳纳米管组成的双壁碳管，预测了其初始稳定构型；分析了其自由弛豫阶段的特征；并模拟了它们在轴向压缩载荷作用下的屈曲行为；研究了不同层间距导致的范德华力变化对屈曲行为的影响.采用Tersoff-Brenner势描述单壁碳纳米管内原子间作用，Lennard-Jones势描述内外层间的范德华相互作用.计算结果表明：在通常意义下的双壁管间距(约0.34 nm)外还可以存在稳定的双壁碳管构型，并且这些新的稳定构型表现出了不同的力学性质. 关键词： 双壁碳纳米管 分子动力学 屈曲     

Codoping of Potassium and Bromine in Carbon Nanotubes： A Density Functional Theory Study

We investigate the co-doping of potassium and bromine in single-walled carbon nanotubes （SWCNTs） and doublewalled carbon nanotubes （DWCNTs） based on density functional theory. In the co-doped （6,0） SWCNTs, the 4s electron of potassium is transferred to nanotube and Br, leading to the n-type feature of SWCNTs. When potassium is intercalated into inner tube and bromine is put on outer tube, the positive and negative charges reside on the outer and inner tubes of the （7,0）@（16,0） DWCNT, respectively. It is expected that DWCNTs would be an ideal candidate for p-n junction and diode applications.     

On the vibrations of single-walled carbon nanotubes

In this paper, a detailed numerical study on the free and forced vibrations of single walled carbon nanotubes is presented. A simple and straightforward method developed such that the proximity of the mathematical model to the actual atomic structure of the nanotube is significantly retained, is used for this purpose. Both zigzag and armchair chiralities of the carbon nanotubes for clamped-free and clamped-clamped boundary conditions are analyzed and their natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes are obtained. Results pertaining to axial, bending, and torsional modes of vibration are reported with discussions. These modes of vibration appear in the eigen-values and eigen-vectors without any distinction. The direct integration method by Newmark is used extensively along with the fast Fourier transform to identify different types of vibrational modes. In the case of zigzag nanotubes, the axial, bending, and torsional modes appear to be decoupled, whereas the armchair nanotubes show coupling between such modes.     

Molecular dynamics study of the torsional vibration characteristics of boron-nitride nanotubes

In recent years, synthesizing inorganic nanostructures such as boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) has led to extensive studies on their exceptional properties. In this study, the torsional vibration behavior of boron-nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) is explored on the basis of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results show that the torsional frequency is sensitive to geometrical parameters such as length and boundary conditions. The axial vibration is found to be induced by torsional vibration of nanotubes which can cause instability in the nanostructure. It is also observed that the torsional frequency of BNNTs is higher than that of their carbon counterpart. Moreover, the shear modulus is predicted by incorporating MD simulation numerical results into torsional vibration frequency obtained through continuum-based model of tubes. Finally, it is seen that the torsional frequency of double-walled boron-nitride nanotubes (DWBNNTs) is between the frequencies of their constituent inner and outer tubes.     

Vibrational analysis of fluid-filled carbon nanotubes using the wave propagation approach

This paper presents a method for vibrational analysis of fluid-filled double-walled carbon nanotubes using the wave propagation approach. Simplified Flügge shell equations are proposed as the governing equations of vibration for the carbon nanotubes. The double-walled nanotubes are considered as a two-shell model coupled together through the van der Waals interaction between two adjacent nanotubes. Based on the proposed theoretical approach, we investigate the influences of parameters, such as fluid properties and vibrational modes, on the vibrational characteristics of carbon nanotubes. In this study, we consider the double-walled nanotubes with an inner diameter of 2.2 nm and an outer diameter of 3.0 nm. The theoretical investigation may give a useful reference for potential application and design of nanoelectronics and nanodevices. PACS 62.30.+d; 62.25.+g; 62.40.+I     

Anti‐Stokes Raman spectroscopy as a method to identify the metallic and semiconducting configurations of double‐walled carbon nanotubes

Although Raman spectra reveal, as a signature of double‐walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs), two radial breathing mode (RBM) lines associated with the inner and outer tubes, the specification of their nature as metallic or semiconducting remains a topic for debate. Investigating the spectral range of the RBM lines, we present a new procedure of the indexing of the semiconducting or metallic nature of the inner and outer shell that forms the DWCNT. The procedure exploits the difference between the intensities of recorded anti‐Stokes Raman spectrum and the anti‐Stokes spectrum calculated by applying the Boltzmann formulae to the recorded Stokes spectrum. The results indicate that the two spectra do not coincide with what should happen in a normal Raman process, namely, that there are RBM lines of the same intensity in both spectra, as well as RBM lines of higher intensity that are observed in the calculated spectrum. This discrepancy results from the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering mechanism that operates differently on metallic or semiconducting nanotubes. In this context, the analysis of the RBM spectrum can reveal pairs of lines associated with the inner/outer shell structure of DWCNT, and when the intensities between the recorded and calculated spectra coincide, the nanotube is metallic; otherwise, the nanotube is semiconducting. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Molecular dynamics investigation into the electric charge effect on the operation of ion-based carbon nanotube oscillators

The fabrication of nanoscale oscillators working in the gigahertz (GHz) range and beyond has now become the focal center of interest to many researchers. Motivated by this issue, this paper proposes a new type of nano-oscillators with enhanced operating frequency in which both the inner core and outer shell are electrically charged. To this end, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to investigate the mechanical oscillatory behavior of ions, and in particular chloride ion, tunneling through electrically charged carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It is assumed that the electric charges with similar sign and magnitude are evenly distributed on two ends of nanotube. The interatomic interactions between carbon atoms and van der Waals (vdW) interactions between ion and nanotube are respectively modeled by Tersoff-Brenner and Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential functions, whereas the electrostatic interactions between ion and electric charges are modeled by Coulomb potential function. A comprehensive study is conducted to get an insight into the effects of different parameters such as sign and magnitude of electric charges, nanotube radius, nanotube length and initial conditions (initial separation distance and velocity) on the oscillatory behavior of chloride ion-charged CNT oscillators. It is shown that, the chloride ion frequency inside negatively charged CNTs is lower than that inside positively charged ones with the same magnitude of electric charge, while it is higher than that inside uncharged CNTs. It is further observed that, higher frequencies are generated at higher magnitudes of electric charges distributed on the nanotube.     

Radial breathing mode frequencies of carbon nanotubes for determination of their diameters

In this paper, exact formulas are obtained for the radial breathing mode (RBM) frequencies of triple-walled carbon nanotubes (TWCNTs) using symbolic package in MAPLE software. For this purpose, TWCNT is considered as triple concentric elastic thin cylindrical shells, which are coupled through van der Waals (vdW) forces between two adjacent tubes. Lennard–Jones potential is used to calculate the vdW forces between adjacent tubes. Then, explicit formulas for RBM frequencies of single-walled (SW), and double-walled (DW) CNTs have been deduced from TWCNT formulas that show an excellent agreement with the available experimental results and the other theoretical model results. The advantage of this analytical approach is that the elastic shell model considers all degrees of freedom in the vibrational analysis of CNTs. To demonstrate the accuracy of this work, the RBM frequencies of different multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are compared with the available experimental or atomistic results with relative errors of less than 1.5%. To illustrate the application of this approach, the diameters of DWCNTs are obtained from their RBM frequencies which show an excellent agreement with the available experimental results. Also, this approach can be used to determine the diameters of the TWCNTs and MWCNTs. The influence of changing the geometrical and mechanical parameters of a TWCNT on its RBM frequencies has been investigated, too.     

Resonance frequency of chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes using Timoshenko beam theory

This Letter develops a model that analyzes the resonant frequency of the chiral single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) subjected to a thermal vibration by using Timoshenko beam model, including the effect of rotary inertia and shear deformation. The analytical solution is derived and the frequency equation is obtained. The results based on the beam model show that the frequency increases with decreasing the nanotube aspect ratio of length to diameter. In addition, the frequency obtained by Timoshenko beam model is lower than that calculated by Euler beam model. As the nanotube aspect ratio of length to diameter decreased, the discrepancy is more obvious. Furthermore, as the effect of thermal vibration increases, the frequency for chiral SWCNTs decreases.     

Thermal conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes:Molecular dynamics simulations

Heat conduction in single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) has been investigated by using various methods, while less work has been focused on multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs). The thermal conductivities of the double-walled carbon nanotubes(DWCNTs) with two different temperature control methods are studied by using molecular dynamics(MD) simulations. One case is that the heat baths(HBs) are imposed only on the outer wall, while the other is that the HBs are imposed on both the two walls. The results show that the ratio of the thermal conductivity of DWCNTs in the first case to that in the second case is inversely proportional to the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the DWCNT to that of its outer wall. In order to interpret the results and explore the heat conduction mechanisms, the inter-wall thermal transport of DWCNTs is simulated. Analyses of the temperature profiles of a DWCNT and its two walls in the two cases and the interwall thermal resistance show that in the first case heat is almost transported only along the outer wall, while in the second case a DWCNT behaves like parallel heat transport channels in which heat is transported along each wall independently.This gives a good explanation of our results and presents the heat conduction mechanisms of MWCNTs.     

Structure, stability, and motion of dislocations in double-wall carbon nanotubes

In this paper,a novel double-wall carbon nanotube(DWCNT) with both edge and screw dislocations is studied by using the molecular dynamics(MD) method.The differences between two adjacent tubule indexes of armchair and zigzag nanotubes are determined to be 5 and 9,respectively,by taking into account the symmetry,integrality,and thermal stability of the composite structures.It is found that melting first occurs near the dislocations,and the melting temperatures of the dislocated armchair and zigzag DWCNTs are around 2600 K-2700 K.At the premelting temperatures,the shrink of the dislocation loop,which is comprised of edge and screw dislocations,implies that the composite dislocation in DWCNTs has self-healing ability.The dislocated DWCNTs first fracture at the edge dislocations,which induces the entire break in axial tensile test.The dislocated DWCNTs have a smaller fracture strength compared to the perfect DWCNTs.Our results not only match with the dislocation glide of carbon nanotubes(CNTs) in experiments,but also can free from the electron beam radiation under experimental conditions observed by the high resolution transmission electron microscope(HRTEM),which is deemed to cause the motion of dislocation loop.     

A nonlocal Levinson beam model for free vibration analysis of zigzag single-walled carbon nanotubes including thermal effects

A nonlocal Levinson beam model is developed to study the free vibrations of a zigzag single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) in thermal environments. The equivalent Young’s modulus and shear modulus for a zigzag SWCNT are derived using an energy-equivalent model. The present study illustrates that the vibration characteristics of an SWCNT are strongly dependent on the temperature change and on the chirality of a zigzag carbon nanotube. The investigation of the chirality and temperature effects on free vibration of carbon nanotubes may be used as a useful reference for the application and the design of nanoelectronic and nanodrive devices, nano-oscillators, and nanosensors, in which carbon nanotubes act as basic elements.     

Adsorption of the insensitive explosive TATB on single-walled carbon nanotubes

The non-covalent adsorption of the insensitive explosive TATB (1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene) on the sidewalls of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been calculated using an ONIOM approach. It was found that TATB deformed remarkably when attached non-covalently on the surface of CNTs, especially on the inner wall of the nanotubes. The diameter of the nanotube determined the degree of distortion of the inner-adsorbed TATB, but had little effect on the deformation of the outer-attached TATB. The non-covalent combination of TATB with the nanotube is an exothermic process due to the negative adsorption energy. TATB adsorption on the inner wall of nanotubes was energetically more favorable than that on the outer wall of the nanotubes. In both cases, the adsorption became more stable with increasing diameter of the nanotube. Our theoretical results can be used as a guideline for the design of energetic nanocomposites based on CNTs and aromatic nitro-explosives.