Semiconducting to metallic transition in CX(BN)Y nanotubes: effects of C stripes in BN basis

Abstract

In this work, we study the structural and electronic properties of C_X(BN)_Y nanotubes, varying the C_X concentration in the BN base structure. The developed work was done combining semiempirical, density functional theory (DFT) and Green’s function calculation methods. In the first part, we shown by structure energies that the distribution of B − C, C − N, C − C, and B − C chemical bonds greatly influence the structural stabilization of the nanotubes and the integration of the carbo (C) atoms within the C_X(BN)_Y systems has a strong dependence on the atomic distribution of B, C, and N atoms. In the second part, we shown that atomic distribution of B, C, and N atomos has also a strong impact on the electronic band gap, transforming the electronic structure of initial BN electronic configurations.