Spin-polarized density functional theory was used to investigate the electronic and structural properties of vacancies and antisites in zig-zag, armchair, and chiral SiC nanotubes. Antisites present lower formation energies compared to vacancies, introducing an empty electronic level close to the bottom of the conduction band for both cases SiC and CSi. A C vacancy introduces a pair of electronic levels (bonding and antibonding) within the band gap. A Si vacancy presented the highest formation energy and introduces one occupied level (spin up) resonant within the valence band and three nearly degenerate spin-polarized levels, one for spin up and two for spin down, within the nanotube band gap.Ab initio Study of Native Defects in SiC Nanotubes. R.J.Baierle, P.Piquini, L.P.Neves, R.H.Miwa: Physical Review B, 2006, 74[15], 155425 (8pp)