Polarization Dependence of the C 1s X‐ray Absorption Spectra of Individual Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The polarization dependence (linear dichroism) of the C 1s X-ray absorption spectrum of individual multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is measured using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. A very strong dichroic effect is found in the C 1s --> pi* transition, with almost complete disappearance of this transition when the electric-field (E)-vector is aligned parallel to high-quality (low-defect) MWCNTs and maximum intensity when the …