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Modulation of Carbon Nanotube Electronic Structure by Grain Boundary Defects in RbI on Au(111)
Benjamin W McDowell1, Benjamen N Taber1, Jon M Mills1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Materials Science Institute, Oregon Center for Optical, Molecular, and Quantum Science, University of Oregon, 1253 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|January 8, 2024
Summary
Localized electronic states appear in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) due to defects in surrounding RbI films. These findings offer insights into electrostatic disorder effects on SWCNT device performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Surface Science
Background:
- Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exhibit electronic properties sensitive to their environment.
- Understanding these environmental effects is crucial for SWCNT-based device applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of RbI monolayer defects on the electronic properties of SWCNTs.
- To elucidate the origin of localized electronic states induced by these defects.
Main Methods:
- Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) were employed.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to model the system.
Main Results:
- Grain boundary defects in RbI monolayers were observed to induce spatially confined localized states in SWCNTs.
- DFT calculations revealed that these defects create a stabilizing electrostatic potential due to altered iodine atom coordination.
Conclusions:
- RbI grain boundaries act as sources of electrostatic disorder affecting SWCNT electronic properties.
- The findings provide a fundamental understanding of defect-induced electronic modifications in SWCNTs on surfaces.
