Abstract
The possibility of a selective nonequilibrium cap opening of carbon nanotubes as a response to femtosecond laser excitation was demonstrated. It was found that the nonthermal response could induce a desired structural modification on a subpicosecond time scale. By performing molecular dynamics simulation based on a microscopic electronic model, it was shown that the laser induced ultrafast structural changes differed from the thermally induced dimer emissions. It was also shown that ultrafast bond weakening and simultaneous excitation of two coherent phonon modes of different frequencies localized in the spherical caps and cylindrical nanotube body were responsible for the selective cap opening.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 117401 |
| Pages (from-to) | 117401-1-117401-4 |
| Journal | Physical review letters |
| Volume | 92 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 19 2004 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungs?>gemeinschaft through the priority program SPP 1134 (T. D. and M. E. G.) and the Emmy Noether Programme (H. O. J.). T. D. and B. I. Y. also acknowledge the support of the Office of Naval Research.