Variation of optical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes with length

ORAL

Abstract

The length dependence of the optical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was studied in bulk dispersions length-fractionated by electrophoretic separation or ultrasonication-induced scission. Fractions ranged from 120 to 760 nm in mean length. After shortening SWCNTs by timed ultrasonic treatment, their absorption was found constant within 11 percent as average nanotube length changed by a factor of 3.8. This indicates that the absorption cross-section per carbon atom is not length-dependent. By contrast, in length fractions prepared by both fractionation methods, the fluorescence efficiency and average quantum yield increased with average SWCNT length, approaching an asymptotic limit of 1 micrometer. This is interpreted as reflecting the combined contributions of exciton quenching by sidewall defects and by the ends of shorter nanotubes. Mathematical modeling of the quantum yield based on the experimentally found parameters and only nanotube end defects suggested a mean exciton excursion range of 50 nm. This is significantly below the 90-200 nm exciton excursion ranges found previously for individual, nearly-pristine SWCNTs that are expected to have lower defect density than typical processed SWCNTs.

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Authors

  • Anton Naumov

    Texas Christian University

  • Harry A. Atwater

    Institute for Advanced Physics and Mathematics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Baylor University, baylor university, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou University, Trinity University, University of New Hampshire, Los Alamos National Lab, Southwest Research Institute, University of Texas San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX78666, None, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100094, P.R. China, The State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, China, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, Lamar University, NIST, NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory,Thermodynamic Metrology Laboratory, Rice University, University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Russian Quantum Center, Physics Department, International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Florida State University, Univ of Texas, Dallas, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Houston, Physics and Astronomy, Material Science and Eng,Texas A\&M University. WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Material Science and Eng., Texas A\&M University, Texas Christian University, Utaca College, University of Texas at Arlington, Angelo State University Physics & Geosciences Department, Texas State University, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Department of Physics, Lamar University, Texas Lutheran University, University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Texas A\&M University, Florida A&M University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Texas A&M University and Baylor University, Abilene Christian University, Michigan State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Southern Methodist University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University 4242 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4242, The Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, Southern Nazarene University, Texas A&M University, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, Texas 75080, USA, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{2}$WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University, Japan, Department of Physics, Austin College, AMRIS/NHMFL, University of Florida, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Mississippi State University, The Methodist Hospital System, Biophotonic Solutions, Inc., University of Texas, Austin, California Insititute of Technology

  • Harry A. Atwater

    Institute for Advanced Physics and Mathematics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Baylor University, baylor university, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou University, Trinity University, University of New Hampshire, Los Alamos National Lab, Southwest Research Institute, University of Texas San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX78666, None, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100094, P.R. China, The State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, China, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, Lamar University, NIST, NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory,Thermodynamic Metrology Laboratory, Rice University, University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Russian Quantum Center, Physics Department, International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Florida State University, Univ of Texas, Dallas, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Houston, Physics and Astronomy, Material Science and Eng,Texas A\&M University. WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Material Science and Eng., Texas A\&M University, Texas Christian University, Utaca College, University of Texas at Arlington, Angelo State University Physics & Geosciences Department, Texas State University, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Department of Physics, Lamar University, Texas Lutheran University, University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Texas A\&M University, Florida A&M University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Texas A&M University and Baylor University, Abilene Christian University, Michigan State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Southern Methodist University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University 4242 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4242, The Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, Southern Nazarene University, Texas A&M University, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, Texas 75080, USA, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{2}$WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University, Japan, Department of Physics, Austin College, AMRIS/NHMFL, University of Florida, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Mississippi State University, The Methodist Hospital System, Biophotonic Solutions, Inc., University of Texas, Austin, California Insititute of Technology

  • Harry A. Atwater

    Institute for Advanced Physics and Mathematics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Baylor University, baylor university, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou University, Trinity University, University of New Hampshire, Los Alamos National Lab, Southwest Research Institute, University of Texas San Antonio, Texas A&M University, Department of Physics, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX78666, None, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100094, P.R. China, The State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, China, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, Lamar University, NIST, NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory,Thermodynamic Metrology Laboratory, Rice University, University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Russian Quantum Center, Physics Department, International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, Florida State University, Univ of Texas, Dallas, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Houston, Physics and Astronomy, Material Science and Eng,Texas A\&M University. WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Material Science and Eng., Texas A\&M University, Texas Christian University, Utaca College, University of Texas at Arlington, Angelo State University Physics & Geosciences Department, Texas State University, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Department of Physics, Lamar University, Texas Lutheran University, University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, Texas A\&M University, Florida A&M University, Texas A&M University, Princeton University, Baylor University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Texas A&M University and Baylor University, Abilene Christian University, Michigan State University, Argonne National Laboratory, Southern Methodist University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University 4242 TAMU College Station, Texas 77843-4242, The Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, Southern Nazarene University, Texas A&M University, Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, Texas 75080, USA, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{1}$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, $^{2}$WPI-AIMR, Tohoku University, Japan, Department of Physics, Austin College, AMRIS/NHMFL, University of Florida, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Mississippi State University, The Methodist Hospital System, Biophotonic Solutions, Inc., University of Texas, Austin, California Insititute of Technology