Enhancing Coherence Length in Tailored Chiral Hybrid Polymer‐Wrapped Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Superstructures

Abstract

ABSTRACT Quantum interference governs the transport behavior of low‐dimensional conductors, where the phase coherence of scattered electrons gives rise to phenomena such as weak localization (WL) and weak anti‐localization (WAL). Understanding how molecular environments influence these effects is crucial for advancing spin‐dependent coherent transport at the nanoscale. Here, we design a hybrid chiral polymer and metallic single‐walled carbon nanotube (m‐SWNT) material utilizing a polymer that single‐chain wraps the m‐SWNT surface with a fixed helical pitch. Magnetotransport measurements present a distinct difference between the bare achiral m‐SWNTs and the chiral polymer‐wrapped m‐SWNTs; these experiments demonstrate a fivefold enhancement in coherence length through coupling chirality to the m‐SWNT surface. Moreover, bare m‐SWNT samples display a WL‐like feature, characterized by a narrow conductance dip around zero magnetic field, which is consistent with coherent backscattering in the absence of strong spin‐orbit coupling (SOC). In the chiral hybrid material, the magnetoconductance evolves into a WAL profile, indicating the emergence of SOC that derives from single‐handed polymer wrapping of the nanotube surface. These results demonstrate that molecular chirality can modulate quantum interference and spin–orbit interactions in carbon‐based nanostructures, offering new pathways to control spin transport through molecular and nanoscale design.