Quasi-ballistic electron transport in double-wall carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates room-temperature quasi-ballistic electron transport in double-wall carbon nanotubes, showing conductance plateaus and estimating a mean free path of up to 10 microns, indicating minimal scattering at room temperature.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of quasi-ballistic transport in DWNTs at room temperature and estimates the mean free path based on conductance measurements.

Findings

Conductance exhibits plateaus indicating weak length dependence.

Mean free path estimated between 0.6 and 10 microns.

Results agree with theoretical calculations of electron scattering.

Abstract

Room-temperature quasi-ballistic electron transport in double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWNT) is demonstrated. Conductance dependence on the length was measured by submerging DWNTs into liquid mercury. The conductance plots show plateaus, indicating weak dependence of the electrode-tube-electrode electrical resistance on the length of the connecting nanotube. We infer a mean free path between 0.6 and 10 micron meters for around 80% of the DWNTs, which is in good agreement with calculations based on the electron scattering by acoustic phonons and by disorder.