Electronic structure of silver subnanowires in self-assembled organic nanotubes: Density functional calculations

We use first principles calculations to investigate the structure and electronic properties of ultrathin silver (Ag) nanowires self-synthesized in organic calix[4]hydroquinone (CHQ) nanotubes. The insulating CHQ nanotubes get transformed to semiconducting calix[4]diquinone-dihydroquinone (CQHQ) tubes in the presence of Ag. These encapsulated nanowires have linear crystalline structure. The electron density around the Fermi level is localized on the Ag nanowire. This indicates that the organic tubes act as shields between Ag nanowires, and the quantum confinement is possible in the encapsulated Ag nanowires like in quantum dots.