Chiral single-wall gold nanotubes

The formation of freestanding and tip-suspended chiral-wall (n,m) nanotubes, which were composed of helical atomic strands, from gold atoms was investigated using first-principles calculations, where (n,m) notation defines the structure of the tube. The tubes with 3≤n≤5 were found to be stable and exhibited electronic and transport properties investigated. The (5,3) gold tube was energetically the most favourable. It was observed from the quantum ballistic conductance, band structure and charge density analysis that the current on these wires was less chiral, and no direct correlation between the numbers of conduction channels and helical strands was found.