Pressure Control of Conducting Channels in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Networks

Abstract

We measure electrical transport on networks of single-wall nanotube ropes as a function of temperature T, voltage V, and pressure up to 22 GPa. We observe Luttinger liquid (LL) behavior, a conductance proportional to T(alpha), and a dynamic conductance proportional to V(alpha). With pressure, conductance increases while alpha decreases, enabling us to test the theoretical prediction for LL behavior on the alpha dependence of the T and V independent coefficient of the tunneling conductance, and to obtain the high frequency cutoff of LL modes. The possible transition to a Fermi liquid at alpha-->0 is unattainable, as nanotubes collapse to an insulating state at high pressures.