Electron magnetotransport in carbon nanotubes and negative magnetoresistance: The density matrix method

Abstract

A solution (stationary and linear in electric field) to the kinetic equation for a one-electron density matrix in an arbitrary magnetic field is found for deformation-potential scattering in the approximation of a small deviation of the electron gas from equilibrium. An expression for the nanotube conductivity is obtained in the form of a sum over magnetic-quantization states. In the absence of a magnetic field, this expression coincides with the corresponding classical relations. In weak magnetic fields, the magnetoresistance of a multilayer nanotube is positive for high electron mobilities and negative for low mobilities. In intermediate fields, it reverses sign with increasing field strength. The magnetoresistance of a one-layer nanotube is always positive.