Atomic resolution STM imaging of a twisted single-wall carbon nanotube

TL;DR

This study uses atomic-resolution STM imaging to analyze twisted single-wall carbon nanotubes, revealing that quenched twists may influence their electrical properties, especially their insulating behavior at low temperatures.

Contribution

It provides the first atomic-resolution images of twisted SWNTs and suggests quenched twists as a factor in their electrical conductivity.

Findings

Images are consistent with achiral armchair nanotubes with quenched twists.

Quenched twists may explain insulator-like conductivity at low temperatures.

First atomic-resolution STM images of twisted SWNTs in a nanotube rope.

Abstract

We present atomically-resolved STM images of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) embedded in a crystalline nanotube rope. Although they may be interpreted as of a chiral nanotube, the images are more consistently explained a an achiral armchair tube with a quenched twist distortion. The existence of quenched twists in SWNTs in ropes might explain the fact that both as-grown bulk nanotube material and individual ropes have insulator-like conductivity at low temperature.