Quantum dot from chiral metallic single walled nanotubes

Abstract

We propose a simple approach to construct a quantum-dot and it's electrodes using chiral metallic single walled carbon nanotube (CM-SWCNT) segments of exactly opposite chiralities $(m,n)$ and $(n,m)$. The degree and energetics of electron confinement crucially depends on the choice of $n$ and $m$, and collinearity of the SWCNT segments constituting the quantum-dot and the electrodes. All the segments can in principle be obtained through simple manipulations of fragments of a single nanotube of chirality either $(m,n)$ or $(n,m)$.