Recently, Lagos et al. [Nature Nanotech. 4, 149 (2009)] reported the discovery of the smallest possible Ag nanotube with a square cross section. Ab initio density functional theory calculations strongly support that the stability of these hollow structures is structurally intrinsic and not the result of contamination by light atoms. We also report the first experimental observation of the theoretically predicted corrugation of the hollow structure. Quantum conductance calculations predict a unique signature of $3.6G_0$ for this new family of nanotubes.

• Received 21 July 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.065501