Tuning carbon nanotube bandgaps with strain

Preprint
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
  • 11 November 2002
Abstract
We show that the band structure of a carbon nanotube (NT) can be dramatically altered by mechanical strain. We employ an atomic force microscope tip to simultaneously vary the NT strain and to electrostatically gate the tube. We show that strain can open a bandgap in a metallic NT and modify the bandgap in a semiconducting NT. Theoretical work predicts that bandgap changes can range between +80meV and -80meV per 1% stretch, depending on NT chirality, and our measurements are consistent with this predicted range.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: