ELECTRONIC AND ELECTROMAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF NANOTUBES

A nanotube is phenomenologically modeled as a chain of atoms wrapped h elically on a right circular cylinder. The semiclassical Hamiltonian o f an electron is derived, using the Wannier approach for the Schroding er equation, when the nanotube is exposed to both constant (dc) and hi gh-frequency (ac) electromagnetic fields. The Boltzmann kinetic equati on is then solved in the framework of momentum-independent relaxation time approximation. An analytical expression for electric current in a nanotube is derived. The interaction of nonlinearity and chirality is analyzed, chiefly as the dependence of a current chiral angle on the amplitude of the ac electric field. The derived expressions for the el ectronic transport also help in stating anisotropic impedance boundary conditions on the nanotube surface. Surface wave propagation in a car bon nanotube (CN) is examined. The idea of using CN's as nanowaveguide s in the infrared frequency range is established. Convective instabili ty is shown to occur under special conditions in a CN exposed to an ax ial de electric field. [S0163-1829(98)03016-1].