Title: On the possible optical resonance in carbon nanotubes based cavities

Authors: M. Maaza, T. Mhlungu, M.O. Ndwandwe, N. Cingo, A.C. Beye, A. Govindaraj, C.N.R. Rao

Addresses: Nanosciences Laboratories, Materials Research Group, iThemba LABS, P.O. Box 722, Somerset West 7129, Western Cape, South Africa. ' Physics and Engineering Department, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, Kwadlangezwa, South Africa. ' Physics and Engineering Department, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, Kwadlangezwa, South Africa. ' Chemistry Department, University of South Africa, Preller Street, Muckleneuk, Pretoria, UNISA, South Africa. ' Physics Department, University of Cheikh Anta-Diop of Dakar, Dakar-Fann, Senegal, African Laser Centre, CSIR National Laser Centre, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Princeton Materials Institute, Bowen Hall, 70 Prospect Av., Princeton, NJ 08540-5211, USA. ' Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Akkur, Bangalore-560 064, India. ' Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Akkur, Bangalore-560 064, India

Abstract: An enhanced interference phenomenon in the IR absorbance-wavenumber profiles of ship-shaped carbon nanotubes powder has been observed by attenuated total reflection at room temperature. This room temperature interference phenomenon was considered as possibly originating from an optical resonance effect and that single carbon nanotubes could act as individual Fabry-Perot or Lummer-Gehrcke resonant cavities. It is demonstrated that this interference phenomenon could be an Anderson type localisation phenomenon due to resonant modes in the semi-disordered ship-shaped carbon nanotubes nanopowder which could form a plausible resonant cavity.

Keywords: carbon nanotubes; attenuated total reflection; optical resonance cavities; infrared spectroscopy; multiple scattering; random edia; Anderson localisation phenomenon; nanotechnology; interference phenomenon; room temperature; nanopowder.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2007.015460

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2007 Vol.4 No.6, pp.638 - 650

Published online: 18 Oct 2007 *

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