Many body effects in finite metallic carbon nanotubes

The non homogeneity of the charge distribution in a carbon nanotube leads to the formation of an excitonic resonance, in a similar way to the one observed in X-ray absorption in metals. As a result, a positive anomaly at low bias appears in the tunnelling density of states. This effect depends on the screening of the electron--electron interactions by metallic gates, and it modifies the coupling of the nanotube to normal and superconducting electrodes.