Inner-Tube Chirality Determination for Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (Result of the month 06/2007)
Evidence for modified electronic structure in double-walled carbon nanotubes with respect to their individual inner and outer constituent single-walled nanotubes is provided by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy experiments. The contribution originating from the inner tube to the local density of states of the double-walled system was identified in agreement with previous theoretical calculations. Consequently, the chiral index for the inner tube was extracted based on the additional van Hove singularities present in the experimental tunneling spectra.
Derivative image of a zoomed region of the double-walled carbon nanotube. The derivative was preferred instead of the raw image, as it shows better, enhanced contrast.
STM image showing atomic resolution of a double-walled carbon nanotube on top of a bundle.
Additional information
Authors:
Cristina E. Giusca, Yann Tison, Vlad Stolojan, Ewa Borowiak-Palen and S. Ravi P. Silva
Institutes Nano-Electronics Centre, Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey, UK