Temperature dependence of the optical excitation lifetime and band gap in chirality assigned semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes

The temperature dependence of optical excitation lifetime 1∕Γ and transition energies Eᵢᵢ were measured for bucky papers of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and inner tubes in double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) using resonant Raman scattering on the radial breathing mode. The temperature dependence of Γ and Eᵢᵢ is the same for both types of samples and is independent of tube chirality. The data suggest that electron-phonon interaction is responsible for the temperature dependence of Eᵢᵢ and Γ. The temperature independent contribution to Γ is much larger in SWCNT than in DWCNT samples. This is explained by the different nanotube environment in the two types of samples. Γ for the inner tubes of the DWCNTs is only ~300.3em0exmeV below 1500.3em0exK, which is comparable to that found for individual SWCNTs and is considered as intrinsic to the tubes.