Tunable electronic correlation effects in nanotube-light interactions

TL;DR

This study investigates how electronic correlation effects influence light interactions in carbon nanotubes, revealing tunable optical properties through electrostatic gating and highlighting the importance of many-body interactions in quasi-1D systems.

Contribution

It provides direct experimental evidence of correlation effects on optical transitions in nanotubes and demonstrates electrical tuning of these optical properties.

Findings

Significant shifts in optical transition energies with carrier density

Line broadening observed as doping increases

Differing screening effects on macroscopic and microscopic scales

Abstract

Electronic many-body correlation effects in one-dimensional (1D) systems such as carbon nanotubes have been predicted to modify strongly the nature of photoexcited states. Here we directly probe this effect using broadband elastic light scattering from individual suspended carbon nanotubes under electrostatic gating conditions. We observe significant shifts in optical transition energies, as well as line broadening, as the carrier density is increased. The results demonstrate the differing role of screening of many-body electronic interactions on the macroscopic and microscopic length scales, a feature inherent to quasi-1D systems. Our findings further demonstrate the possibility of electrical tuning of optical transitions and provide a basis for understanding of various optical phenomena in carbon nanotubes and other quasi-1D systems in the presence of charge carrier doping.