Structural ( n , m ) Determination of Isolated Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Resonant Raman Scattering

Abstract

We show that the Raman scattering technique can give complete structural information for one-dimensional systems, such as carbon nanotubes. Resonant confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy of an (n,m) individual single-wall nanotube makes it possible to assign its chirality uniquely by measuring one radial breathing mode frequency omega (RBM) and using the theory of resonant transitions. A unique chirality assignment can be made for both metallic and semiconducting nanotubes of diameter d(t), using the parameters gamma (0) = 2.9 eV and omega (RBM) = 248/d(t). For example, the strong RBM intensity observed at 156 cm(-1) for 785 nm laser excitation is assigned to the (13, 10) metallic chiral nanotube on a Si/SiO2 surface.