Alkali atoms Intercalating induced Metal-semiconductor and semiconductor-semiconductor transitions in Carbon Nanotubes

摘要

We show that the intercalating of alkali atoms with adequate concentration can transform a metallic single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) into a semiconductor tube or a semiconductor SWCNT into a semiconductor tube with different band gaps due to a unique feature of the band structures in SWCNTs. Results of Li2C(,o in the (5,0) tube, Li2Cm in the (4,2) tube and K2C,I2 in the (7,0) tube show that this transition mechanism is quite general.