Absolute Absorptivity of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes Employing a Pyroelectric Detector

Published

December 20, 2006

Author(s)

Katie Hurst, Anne Dillon, John H. Lehman

Abstract

Optical properties are important for determining fundamental characteristics of carbon single-walled nanotube (SWNT) samples including purity, chirality, and tube diameter. Previously, we have estimated the volume fraction of metallic versus semiconducting tubes for highly purified SWNT bucky-paper on a pyroelectric detector from spectral responsivity measurements and an effective medium approximation to determine the dielectric function.1 Pyroelectric detector-based measurements are based on the thermalization of photons within the SWNT coating and provide a robust technique for measuring absolute absorptivity at normal incidence. Alternatively, we perform transmissivity measurements of SWNTs by employing a gold black coated pyroelectric detector. Spectral responsivity measurements are made by direct substitution against a NIST calibrated detector such that quantitative changes in the volume fraction and purity of SWNT samples are revealed. These results will be compared to specular transmissivity measurements made by UV-VIS spectrometry. Raman spectroscopy will also serve to verify nanotube properties. 1.K.E.H. Gilbert, J.H. Lehman, A.C. Dillon and J.L. Blackburn Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 143122 (2006).

Citation

APS meeting

Pub Type

Others

Keywords

carbon nanotubes, pyroelectric detector, coatings, responsivity, Raman spectroscopy

Citation

Hurst, K. , Dillon, A. and Lehman, J. (2006), Absolute Absorptivity of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes Employing a Pyroelectric Detector, APS meeting (Accessed October 22, 2025)