Bond-length alternation and charge transfer in a linear carbon chain encapsulated within a single-walled carbon nanotube

The physical properties of a linear carbon chain encapsulated within single-walled carbon nanotubes are investigated with density-functional theory using periodic boundary conditions. The dominant feature of an isolated carbon chain is the Peierls dimerization and the opening of a Peierls gap. The two weakly interacting subsystems (infinite carbon chain and nanotube) establish a common Fermi level, resulting in charge transfer (CT) which leads to a metallic combined system with a high density of states at the Fermi level. The rigid band model provides useful insights. Unusual physics arises from the effects of CT and chain-tube orbital hybridization which both tend to suppress the Peierls dimerization. Implications for the observed Raman spectrum of the chain-nanotube system are discussed.