title: Smallest nanotube: breaking the symmetry of sp(3) bonds in tubular geometries.
abstract: We describe how sp(2) carbon, threefold coordinated by other carbons, can be replaced by sp(3) carbon, also threefold carbon coordinated, to produce extremely small-diameter ( approximately 0.4 nm) carbon nanowires with only minimal bond-angle distortion. Under a naming convention analogous to that for ordinary carbon nanotubes, the smallest sp(3) tubes have wrapping indices (3,0) and (2,2). These systems have large band gaps and a stiffness larger even than that of traditional sp(2)-bonded carbon nanotubes. They therefore form the stiffest one-dimensional systems known.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, 104 Davey Lab, University Park, PA 16802-6300, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojkovic
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Crespi