Coupling of photon energy via a multiwalled carbon nanotube array

Abstract

Fluorescent beads were excited by a laser beam coupled through a multiwalled carbon nanotube array. The images of the fluorescent beads showed a distinctive dependence on the polarization direction of the laser beam owing to the surface plasmons induced from the metallic property of the array. The thickness of the array is 2μm as compared to the metallic films of tens of nanometers in thickness that are conventionally used for surface plasmon excitation. This remarkable photon coupling capacity of a multiwalled carbon nanotube array is attributed to the confinement of electrons in its outermost tube shells and ballistic transport.