Energy and electronic properties of non-carbon nanotubes based on silicon dioxide

Abstract

The geometric, energy, and electronic characteristics of new non-carbon nanotubes based on silicon dioxide are investigated in the framework of the local electron density functional formalism. Nanotubes are classified according to the type of rolling-up of the SiO2 sheet. It is shown that, among the entire set of considered nanotubes with different symmetries, the (6, 0) nanotubes are energetically more favorable. The densities of states for nanotubes are calculated. It is established that all nanotubes are dielectrics with a wide band gap. The band gap varies over a wide range with a change in the longitudinal strain of the nanotube.