Defects in Individual Semiconducting Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes: Raman Spectroscopic and in Situ Raman Spectroelectrochemical Study

Abstract

Raman spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroelectrochemistry have been used to study the influence of defects on the Raman spectra of semiconducting individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The defects were created intentionally on part of an originally defect-free individual semiconducting nanotube, which allowed us to analyze how defects influence this particular nanotube. The formation of defects was followed by Raman spectroscopy that showed D band intensity coming from the defective part and no D band intensity coming from the original part of the same nanotube. It is shown that the presence of defects also reduces the intensity of the symmetry-allowed Raman features. Furthermore, the changes to the Raman resonance window upon the introduction of defects are analyzed. It is demonstrated that defects lead to both a broadening of the Raman resonance profile and a decrease in the maximum intensity of the resonance profile. The in situ Raman spectroelectrochemical data show a doping dependence of the Raman features taken from the defective part of the tested SWCNT.