Electromagnetic response of carbon nanotubes and nanotube ropes

We present a sequential approach to the linear electrodynamics of carbon na notubes (CNs) and discuss some intriguing properties of these monomolecular structures of carbon. Our analysis comprises two main lines of investigati ons: the electrodynamics of single CNs and wave processes in multi-CN sampl es incorporating ensembles of CNs. The approach is based on the method of e ffective boundary conditions which appears to cover a very wide spectral ra nge, from microwaves to X-rays. A brief review of unsolved problems of elec trodynamics of CNs is presented. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.