Superconductivity in carbon nanotubes coupled to transition metal atoms

TL;DR

This paper investigates how coupling transition metal atoms, specifically nickel nanowires, with carbon nanotubes influences their electronic structure and potential superconductivity, suggesting possible transition temperatures of 10-50 K.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of superconductivity potential in carbon nanotubes coupled with transition metal nanowires, highlighting the role of electron density of states enhancement.

Findings

Nickel nanowires increase the DOS at the Fermi level in nanotubes.

Enhanced DOS depends on spin state and wire positioning.

Estimated superconducting transition temperature is approximately 10-50 K.

Abstract

The electronic structures of zig-zag and arm-chair single-walled carbon nanotubes interacting with a transitional-metal atomic nanowire of Ni have been determined. The Ni nanowire creates a large electron density of states (DOS)at the Fermi energy. The dependence of the enhanced DOS on the spin state and positioning of the transition-metal wire(inside or outside the nanotube) is studied. Preliminary estimates of the electron-phonon interaction suggest that such systems may have a superconducting transition temperature of $\sim$ 10-50 K. The signs of superconductivity seen in ``ropes'' of nanotubes may also be related to the effect of intrinsic transition-metal impurities.