Effects of axial torsion on sp carbon atomic nanowires

TL;DR

This paper combines theoretical and experimental approaches to study how axial torsion affects sp carbon atomic nanowires, revealing potential for tuning electronic and magnetic properties.

Contribution

It introduces the first analysis of torsional strain effects on sp carbon chains, highlighting their impact on electronic states and magnetism.

Findings

Torsional strain influences the conductive states near the Fermi level.

Torsion can switch on and off pi-electron magnetism in sp carbon chains.

Experimental Raman spectra support the theoretical predictions.

Abstract

Ab-initio calculations within Density Functional Theory combined with experimental Raman spectra on cluster-beam deposited pure carbon films provide a consistent picture of sp-carbon chains stabilized by sp^3 or sp^2 terminations, the latter being sensitive to torsional strain. This unexplored effect promises many exciting applications since it allows one to modify the conductive states near the Fermi level and to switch on and off the on-chain pi-electron magnetism.