Eur. Phys. J. D (2017) 71: 64
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2017-70408-4

Regular Article

Electronic energy loss of protons and deuterons in multi-walled carbon nanotubes

¹ Laboratorio de Colisiones Atómicas, Departamento de Física, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, 1680 Valparaíso, Chile
² Centro Atómico Bariloche, Av. Exequiel Bustillo 9500, R8402AGP San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
³ Instituto Balseiro, Av. Exequiel Bustillo 9500, R8402AGP San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
⁴ Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, 1280 Casilla Antofagasta, Chile

^a e-mail: carlos.celedon@usm.cl

Received: 24 June 2016
Received in final form: 21 October 2016
Published online: 16 March 2017

Abstract

Results of measurements of electronic energy loss for few keV protons and deuterons interacting with multi-walled carbon nanotubes are presented. Analyses of the energy loss distributions, for both type of ions, show a particular shape which is due to the cylindrical geometry of the nanotubes. These distributions can be explained in detail by a Monte Carlo simulation program that includes elastic and inelastic processes and the geometrical properties of the nanotubes. The electronic energy loss values obtained from this study are proportional to the ion velocity, but are lower than the corresponding values for amorphous carbon. This indicates that the ion-nanotube interaction is affected by the electronic and crystalline structure of the nanotubes. Comparisons with experimental values for different types of C targets and with recent theoretical calculations were also done.