  We have measured a strictly linear pi-plasmon dispersion along the axis of
individualized single wall carbon nanotubes, which is completely different from
plasmon dispersions of graphite or bundled single wall carbon nanotubes.
Comparative ab initio studies on graphene based systems allow us to reproduce
the different dispersions. This suggests that individualized nanotubes provide
viable experimental access to collective electronic excitations of graphene,
and it validates the use of graphene to understand electronic excitations of
carbon nanotubes. In particular, the calculations reveal that local field
effects (LFE) cause a mixing of electronic transitions, including the 'Dirac
cone', resulting in the observed linear dispersion.
