Correlated transport and non-Fermi liquid behavior in single-wall carbon nanotubes

We derive the effective low-energy theory for single-wall carbon nanotubes including the Coulomb interactions among electrons. The generic model found here consists of two spin-1/2 fermion chains which are coupled by the interaction. We analyze the theory using bosonization, renormalization-group techniques, and Majorana refermionization. Several experimentally relevant consequences of the breakdown of Fermi liquid theory observed here are discussed in detail, e.g., magnetic instabilities, anomalous conductance laws, and impurity screening profiles.Comment: 23 pages REVTeX, incl 5 figs, to appear in Europ.Phys.Journal

Interaction induced dimerization in zigzag single wall carbon nanotubes

We derive a low-energy effective model of metallic zigzag carbon nanotubes at half filling. We show that there are three important features characterizing the low-energy properties of these systems: the long-range Coulomb interaction, umklapp scattering and an explicit dimerization generated by interactions. The ratio of the dimerization induced gap and the Mott gap induced by the umklapp interactions is dependent on the radius of the nanotube and can drive the system through a quantum phase transition with SU(2)_1 quantum symmetry. We consider the physical properties of the phases on either side of this transition which should be relevant for realistic nanotubes.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Exact solution of the three-boson problem at vanishing energy

A zero range approach is used to model resonant two-body interactions between three identical bosons. A dimensionless phase parametrizes the three-body boundary condition while the scattering length enters the Bethe-Peierls boundary condition. The model is solved exactly at zero energy for any value of the scattering length, positive or negative. From this solution, an analytical expression for the rate of three-body recombination to the universal shallow dimer is extracted.Comment: 12 page

Comment on ``Enhancement of the Tunneling Density of States in Tomonaga-Luttinger Liquids''

In a recent Physical Review Letter, Oreg and Finkel'stein (OF) have calculated the electron density of states (DOS) for tunneling into a repulsive Luttinger liquid close to the location of an impurity. The result of their calculation is a DOS which is enhanced with respect to the pure system, and moreover diverging for not too strong repulsion. In this Comment we intend to show that OF's calculation suffers from a subtle flaw which, being corrected, results into a DOS not only vanishing at zero frequency but in fact suppressed in comparison with the DOS of a pure Luttinger liquid.Comment: 1 page, Revte

Statistical properties of localisation--delocalisation transition in one dimension

We study a one-dimensional model of disordered electrons (also relevant for random spin chains), which exhibits a delocalisation transition at half-filling. Exact probability distribution functions for the Wigner time and transmission coefficient are calculated. We identify and distinguish those features of probability densities that are due to rare, trapping configurations of the random potential from those which are due to the proximity to the delocalisation transition.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, 1 fi

The effect of a local perturbation in a fermionic ladder

We study the effect of a local external potential on a system of two parallel spin-polarized nanowires placed close to each other. For single channel nanowires with repulsive interaction we find that transport properties of the system are highly sensitive to the transverse gradient of the perturbation: the asymmetric part completely reflects the electrons leading to vanishing conductance at zero temperature, while the flat potential remains transparent. We envisage a possible application of this unusual property in the sensitive measurement of local potential field gradients.Comment: 4+ pages, 2 figures, typos correcte

Lattice defects and boundaries in conducting carbon nanotubes

We consider the effect of various defects and boundary structures on the low energy electronic properties in conducting zigzag and armchair carbon nanotubes. The tight binding model of the conduction bands is mapped exactly onto simple lattice models consisting of two uncoupled parallel chains. Imperfections such as impurities, structural defects or caps can be easily included into the effective lattice models, allowing a detailed physical interpretation of their consequences. The method is quite general and can be used to study a wide range of possible imperfections in carbon nanotubes. We obtain the electron density patterns expected from a scanning tunneling microscopy experiment for half fullerene caps and two typical impurities in the bulk of a tube, namely the Stone-Wales defect and a single vacancy.Comment: 15 pages and 16 figures. The latest version can be found at http://www.physik.uni-kl.de/eggert/papers/index.htm