The effect of intrinsic defects on the electronic structure of B-N nanotubes (5,5) and (9,0) was investigated by the method of linearized associated cylindrical waves. Nanotubes with extended defects of substitution of a B atom by a N atom and, vice versa, N by B, with an impurity concentration of 1.5 to 5% were considered. It was shown that the presence of such defects significantly affected the band structure of B-N nanotubes. A defect band was formed in the band-gap, which sharply reduced the width of the gap. The presence of impurities also affected the valence band: the widths of s, sp, and p π bands changed, and the gap between s and sp bands was partially filled. These effects could be detected experimentally by, for example, optical and photo-electron spectroscopy.

Effect of Intrinsic Defects on the Electronic Structure of BN Nanotubes. A.Y.Golovacheva, P.N.Dyachkov: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters, 2005, 82[11], 737-41