Electric charge enhancements in carbon nanotubes: Theory and experiments

Zhao Wang (1) , Mariusz Zdrojek (2) , Thierry Melin (3) , Michel Devel (1)

1 UTINAM - Univers, Transport, Interfaces, Nanostructures, Atmosphère et environnement, Molécules (UMR 6213)
2 Warsaw University of Technology [Warsaw]
3 IEMN - Institut d’Électronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie - UMR 8520

We present a detailed study of the static enhancement effects of electric charges in micrometer-long single-walled carbon nanotubes, using theoretically an atomic charge-dipole model and experimentally electrostatic force microscopy. We demonstrate that nanotubes exhibit at their ends surprisingly weak charge enhancements which decrease with the nanotube length and increase with the nanotube radius. A quantitative agreement is obtained between theory and experiments.

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Zhao Wang, Mariusz Zdrojek, Thierry Melin, Michel Devel. Electric charge enhancements in carbon nanotubes: Theory and experiments. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2008, 78, pp.085425. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.78.085425⟩. ⟨hal-00336930⟩