Finite size effects in carbon nanotubes

The low-energy theory for finite long carbon nanotube is derived and numeri cally examined. It shows that the electronic structure is dominated by the quantum confining, which determines the profile of wave functions as well a s the eigen energies; while the details of the wave functions are resolved by the structure of the nanotubes. This behavior is attributed to the pecul iar electronic structure of the nanotubes. Because of the slow variation of the profile of electron wave functions, the measured conductance is NOT in dependent of the position to measure it, which is evident in the multiprobe experiment. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)01542-4 ].