Influence of gas adsorption on optical transition energies of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Nano Lett. 2008 Oct;8(10):3097-101. doi: 10.1021/nl801074j. Epub 2008 Aug 30.

Abstract

The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of suspended single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were measured in an ethanol gas atmosphere. When the gas pressure was decreased, the PL peaks were initially blue-shifted to a small extent before a rapid blue-shift took place at a transition pressure that depended on the temperature and diameter of the SWNT being measured. This pressure dependence is due to the adsorption of ethanol molecules on the SWNT surface. The optical transition energies measured below the transition pressure are intrinsic to the SWNT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Ethanol / chemistry
  • Gases
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Pressure
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Gases
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Ethanol