Metal nanoring and tube formation on carbon nanotubes

The structural and electronic properties of aluminum-covered single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT's) are studied from first principles for a large number of coverages. Aluminum-aluminum interaction, that is stronger than aluminum-tube interaction, prevents uniform metal coverage, and hence gives rise to the clustering. However, a stable aluminum ring and aluminum nanotube with well defined patterns can also form around the semiconducting SWNT's and lead to metallization. The persistent current in the Al nanoring is discussed to show that a high magnetic field can be induced at the center of SWNT.