Collective oscillations in a single-wall carbon nanotube excited by fast electrons - art. no. 115424

Electron energy loss spectroscopy is a well adapted tool for the investigat ion of the valence excitations of individual nanometer-size particles. The interpretation of the loss spectra of such small particles. however, relies in most cases on a quantitative comparison with simulated excitation proba bilities. Here we present a formalism developed for the interpretation of t he energy loss data of single-wall carbon nanotubes based on the hydrodynam ic theory of plasmon excitations by high-energy electrons. The nanotubes ar e modeled as a two-dimensional electron gas confined on the circumference o f a cylinder. The plasmon excitation probabilities. directly comparable to measurements, are discussed for various parameters.