AVS 46th International Symposium
    Topical Conference on Emerging Opportunities and Issues in Nanotubes and Nanoelectronics Friday Sessions
       Session NT+NS+EM+MS-FrM

Paper NT+NS+EM+MS-FrM2
The Optical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes and Their Use in the Characterisation of Bulk SWNT Material

Friday, October 29, 1999, 8:40 am, Room 6C

Session: Nanotubes: Growth, Characterization and Properties II
Presenter: M.S. Golden, IFW Dresden, Germany
Authors: M.S. Golden, IFW Dresden, Germany
T. Pichler, IFW Dresden, Germany
R. Friedlein, IFW Dresden, Germany
M. Knupfer, IFW Dresden, Germany
J. Fink, IFW Dresden, Germany
O. Jost, TU Dresden, Germany
A.A. Gorbunov, TU Dresden, Germany
W. Pompe, TU Dresden, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
The investigation of the optical properties of carbon nanotubes,@footnote 1,2@ either using UV-Vis or electron energy loss spectroscopies, offers insight into carbon nanotubes on two levels. Firstly, analysis of the energy positions of the characteristic electronic transitions between the singularities in the density of states enables a quick and easy determination of the overall NT yield, the diameter distribution and the ratio of semiconducting-to-metallic SWNTs in bulk samples. This represents an ideal express characterisation method to accompany tuning of the nanotube preparation process parameters. Secondly, the momentum dependence of the collective excitations of the @pi@-electron system in nanotubes measured using high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy in transmission proves to be a sensitive probe of the effective dimensionality of the electron system and inter-tube interaction, both in bulk samples of SWNT and MWNT. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ T. Pichler, M. Knupfer, M. S. Golden, J. Fink, A. Rinzler, R. E. Smalley, PRL 80 4729 (1998) @footnote 2@ T. Pichler, M. Sing, M. Knupfer, M. S. Golden, J. Fink, Solid State Commun., 109, 721 (1999).