Electronic structure of niobium-doped molybdenum disulfide nanotubes

The effect of doping transition metal disulfide nanotubes on their structural and electronic properties was studied for the first time using self-consistent band-structure calculations by the density functional tight-binding method (DFTB). The influence of partial Nb → Mo substitution in the walls of MoS2 nanotubes of various diameters and atomic configurations (armchair and zigzag) on their electronic structure, structural parameters, and relative stability is exemplified by a series of mixed Mo0.9Nb0.1S2 nanotubes. The electronic properties of Mo0.9Nb0.1S2 nanotubes are discussed as a function of the possible types of distribution of doping Nb atoms in the tubes