We report the observation of thermally-induced self-diffraction in carbon nanotube (CNT) solutions under the influence of the gravity. We present a theoretical model in which CNTs are assumed to obey the Boltzmman distribution law. Under the approximations of small temperature rise and a very narrow distribution of CNT masses, the model simulation is consistent with the data measured at low laser powers. An immediate application of such a gravitation-dependent characteristic is the optical measurement for molecular weights of CNTs.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

1. R. F. Service, "Superstrong nanotubes show they are smart, too," Science 281, 940-942 (1998). [CrossRef]
2. M. S. Dresslhaus, G. Dresslhuas, and P. C. Eklund, Science of Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes, (Academic, New York, 1996).
3. M. Endo, S. Iijima, and M. S. Dresselhaus, Carbon Nanotubes, (Pergamon, Oxford, 1996).
4. T. W. Ebbesen, Carbon Nanotubes: Preparation and Properties, (CRC, Boca Raton, FL, 1997).
5. X. Sun, R. Q. Yu, G. Q. Xu, T. S. A. Hor, and W. Ji, "Broadband optical limiting with multiwalled carbon nanotubes," Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 3632-3634 (1998). [CrossRef]
6. P. Chen, X. Wu, X. Sun, J. Lin, W. Ji, and K. L. Tan, "Electronic structure and optical limiting behavior of carbon nanotubes," Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 2548-2551 (1999). [CrossRef]
7. L. Vivien, E. Anglaret, D. Riehl, F. Bacou, C. Journet, C. Goze, M. Andrieux, M. Brunet, F. Lafonta, P. Bernier, and F. Hache, "Single-wall carbon nanotubes for optical limiting," Chem. Phys. Lett. 307, 317-319 (1999). [CrossRef]
8. S. R. Mishra, H. S. Rawat, S. C. Mehendale, K. C. Rustagi, A. K. Sood, R. Bandyopadhyay, A. Govindaraj, and C. N. R. Rao, "Optical limiting in single-walled carbon nanotube suspensions," Chem. Phys. Lett. 317, 510-514 (2000). [CrossRef]
9. J. E. Riggs, D. B. Walker, D. L. Carroll, and Y.-P Sun, "Optical limiting properties of suspended and solubilized carbon nanotubes," J. Phys. Chem. B 104, 7071-7076 (2000). [CrossRef]
10. P. G. de Gennes and J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals, 2nd Edition, (Oxford Univ Press, Oxford, 1995).
11. I. C. Khoo and S. T. Wu, Optics and Nonlinear Optics of Liquid Crystals, (World Scientific, Singapore, 1993).
12. S. Brugioni and R. Meucci, "Thermally induced nonlinear optical effects in an isotropic liquid crystal at 10.6 µm," Appl. Opt. 41,7627-7630 (2002). [CrossRef]
13. Y. J. Qin, L. Q. Liu, J. H. Shi, W. Wu, J. Zhang, Z. X. Guo, Y. F. Li, and D. B. Zhu, "Large-scale preparation of solubilized carbon nanotubes," Chem. Mater. 15, 3256-3260 (2003). [CrossRef]
14. J. P. Gordon, R. C. C. Leite, R. S. Moore, S. P. S. Porto, and J. R. Whinnery, "Long-Transient Effects in Lasers with Inserted Liquid Samples," J. Appl. Phys. 36, 3-8 (1965). [CrossRef]
15. H. El-Kashef, "Thermo-optical and dielectric constants of laser dye solvents," Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, 1243-1245 (1998). [CrossRef]
16. M. S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, and Ph. Avouris, Eds, Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications, Topics in Applied Physics, vol 80 (Springer, New York, 2000).
17. R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, 4th Edition, (Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, 1996).

Appl. Opt.

• S. Brugioni and R. Meucci, "Thermally induced nonlinear optical effects in an isotropic liquid crystal at 10.6 µm," Appl. Opt. 41,7627-7630 (2002). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• X. Sun, R. Q. Yu, G. Q. Xu, T. S. A. Hor, and W. Ji, "Broadband optical limiting with multiwalled carbon nanotubes," Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 3632-3634 (1998). [CrossRef]

Chem. Mater.

• Y. J. Qin, L. Q. Liu, J. H. Shi, W. Wu, J. Zhang, Z. X. Guo, Y. F. Li, and D. B. Zhu, "Large-scale preparation of solubilized carbon nanotubes," Chem. Mater. 15, 3256-3260 (2003). [CrossRef]

Chem. Phys. Lett.

• L. Vivien, E. Anglaret, D. Riehl, F. Bacou, C. Journet, C. Goze, M. Andrieux, M. Brunet, F. Lafonta, P. Bernier, and F. Hache, "Single-wall carbon nanotubes for optical limiting," Chem. Phys. Lett. 307, 317-319 (1999). [CrossRef]
• S. R. Mishra, H. S. Rawat, S. C. Mehendale, K. C. Rustagi, A. K. Sood, R. Bandyopadhyay, A. Govindaraj, and C. N. R. Rao, "Optical limiting in single-walled carbon nanotube suspensions," Chem. Phys. Lett. 317, 510-514 (2000). [CrossRef]

J. Appl. Phys.

• J. P. Gordon, R. C. C. Leite, R. S. Moore, S. P. S. Porto, and J. R. Whinnery, "Long-Transient Effects in Lasers with Inserted Liquid Samples," J. Appl. Phys. 36, 3-8 (1965). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. Chem. B

• J. E. Riggs, D. B. Walker, D. L. Carroll, and Y.-P Sun, "Optical limiting properties of suspended and solubilized carbon nanotubes," J. Phys. Chem. B 104, 7071-7076 (2000). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• P. Chen, X. Wu, X. Sun, J. Lin, W. Ji, and K. L. Tan, "Electronic structure and optical limiting behavior of carbon nanotubes," Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 2548-2551 (1999). [CrossRef]

Rev. Sci. Instrum.

• H. El-Kashef, "Thermo-optical and dielectric constants of laser dye solvents," Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, 1243-1245 (1998). [CrossRef]

Science

• R. F. Service, "Superstrong nanotubes show they are smart, too," Science 281, 940-942 (1998). [CrossRef]

Other

• M. S. Dresslhaus, G. Dresslhuas, and P. C. Eklund, Science of Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes, (Academic, New York, 1996).
• M. Endo, S. Iijima, and M. S. Dresselhaus, Carbon Nanotubes, (Pergamon, Oxford, 1996).
• T. W. Ebbesen, Carbon Nanotubes: Preparation and Properties, (CRC, Boca Raton, FL, 1997).
• P. G. de Gennes and J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals, 2nd Edition, (Oxford Univ Press, Oxford, 1995).
• I. C. Khoo and S. T. Wu, Optics and Nonlinear Optics of Liquid Crystals, (World Scientific, Singapore, 1993).
• M. S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, and Ph. Avouris, Eds, Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Structure, Properties and Applications, Topics in Applied Physics, vol 80 (Springer, New York, 2000).
• R. A. Serway, Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, 4th Edition, (Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, 1996).

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• High-Accuracy Measurements of the Refractive Index and its Temperature Coefficient of Calcium Fluoride in a Wide Wavelength Range from 138 to 2326 nm (AO)
• Near-field characterization of extraordinary optical transmission in sub-wavelength aperture arrays (OE)
• Analysis of diffraction from the occulter edges of a giant externally occulted solar coronagraph (JOSAA)
• Angular dependence of the intensity of light beams diffracted by colloidal crystals (JOSAB)
• Nanometer displacement measurement using Fresnel diffraction (AO)

Related Conference Papers

• Ferrofluid Based Deformable Mirrors for Adaptive Optics
• Ferrofluid Based Deformable Mirrors for Adaptive Optics
• The effect of UV lasers treatment on atomic (low frequency) and electronic (high frequency) parts of refractive index in silicate photosensitive glasses
• UV-induced index changes in Ce-doped and undoped fluoride glass
• A novel technique for measurement of refractive indexes and thermo-optic coefficients