ABSTRACT
Carbon nanotubes (CNs) are thin hollow cylinders made entirely out of carbon atoms (see Figure 2.1). ere are many types of CNs and CN-like structures. e most basic ones are multiwall nanotubes (with diameters, dt, of order ∼10 nm) and single-wall nanotubes (SWNT) (dt ∼1 nm). Multiwall carbon nanotubes were discovered by the Japanese scientist, Sumio Iijima, in 1991 [1] and, 2 years later, individual single-wall carbon nanotubes (see Figure 2.2) were reported [2,3]. Immediately a er their discovery, it became clear that these tiny objects would have very remarkable electronic properties [4,5]. Still, it was not until 1997 that the rst electronic transport measurements on CNs were performed [6,7], thanks largely to a new growth method developed by the group of R. Smalley, which enabled the production of large amounts of CN material. Currently, the physical properties of CNs are still being discovered and disputed. ese studies are interesting and challenging due to the fact that CNs have a very broad range of electronic, thermal, and structural properties that change depending on the di erent kinds of nanotubes (de ned by their diameter, length, chirality, and twist).
