The growth of narrow single-wall carbon nanotubes through adduction of smal
l carbon clusters is studied using a molecular-dynamics simulation method.
Statistical behavior of the growth and defect formation process is analyzed
. For C-2 dimer colliding onto the side-wall of narrow single-wall nanotube
s, it is very easy to get the dimer to be incorporated into the network of
the tube during annealing, forming localized topological defects. During lo
ng-time annealing at 2300 K, thermal fluctuation can cause structural switc
hing among different metastable states and thereby result in energy pulses
in the energy vs time curve.