  The structural, electronic, and optical properties of 4 A single-walled
carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) contained inside the zeolite channels have been
studied based upon the density-functional theory in the local-density
approximation (LDA). Our calculated results indicate that the relaxed
geometrical structures for the smallest SWNTs in the zeolite channels are much
different from those of the ideal isolated SWNTs, producing a great effect on
their physical properties. It is found that all three kinds of 4 A SWNTs can
possibly exist inside the Zeolite channels. Especially, as an example, we have
also studied the coupling effect between the ALPO_4-5 zeolite and the tube
(5,0) inside it, and found that the zeolite has real effects on the electronic
structure and optical properties of the inside (5,0) tube.
