Edited by
Susumo Saito, Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
Alex Zettl, Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, USA
Description
This volume is devoted to mostly to nanotubes, unique synthetic nanoscale quantum systems whose physical properties are often singular
(i.e. record-setting). Nanotubes can be formed from a myriad of atomic or molecular species, the only requirement apparently being that
the host material or “wall fabric” be configurable as a layered or sheet-like structure. Nanotubes with sp2-bonded atoms such as carbon,
or boron together with nitrogen, are the champions of extreme mechanical strength, electrical response (either highly conducting or highly
insulating), and thermal conductance. Carbon nanotubes can be easily produced by a variety of synthesis techniques, and for this reason
they are the most studied nanotubes, both experimentally and theoretically. Boron nitride nanotubes are much more difficult to produce
and only limited experimental characterization data exist. Indeed, for boron nitride nanotubes, theory is well ahead of experiment.
For these reasons this volume deals largely with carbon nanotubes. Conceptually, the "building block" for a carbon nanotube is a single
sheet of graphite, called graphene. Recently, it has become possible to experimentally isolate such single sheets (either on a substrate
or suspended). This capability has in turn fueled many new theoretical and experimental studies of graphene itself. It is therefore
fitting that this volume contains also a chapter devoted to graphene.
Included in series
Contemporary Concepts of Condensed Matter Science
Audience:
Researchers and technologists in nanotube science in the academic, industrial and administrative world; condensed matter scientists including graduate students and post-docs
