Quantitative tuning nanoscale solitary waves

One-dimensionally arrayed C60 system, a nanoscale counterpart of traditional macroscale granular crystals, supports solitary wave propagation. In this paper, it is shown that inserting a series of short carbon nanotubes to C60 system may achieve quantitative tuning of C60-based solitary wave based on molecular dynamics simulations. A concept of energy tunnel is suggested which explains the change of transmitted energy in carbon nanotubes. Based on the energy tunnel theory, the amplitude and wave speed can be quantitatively tuned, which, to the authors' knowledge, has not been achieved at macroscale. This study may be instructive to the design of nanoscale wave-tailoring devices as well as stress wave monitoring measurements.