Electronic, Magnetic and Transport Properties of Graphene Ribbons Terminated by Nanotubes

TL;DR

This study investigates the electronic, magnetic, and transport properties of graphene ribbons terminated by nanotubes, revealing tunable behaviors suitable for spintronic applications.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of graphene ribbons with nanotube edges, highlighting their magnetic and electronic tunability for device applications.

Findings

Armchair nanotube edges exhibit localized magnetic moments and variable electronic character.

Zigzag nanotube edges are either metallic or semiconducting without mobility loss.

Adjusting nanotube and ribbon types allows tailoring of properties for specific applications.

Abstract

We study by density functional and large scale tight-binding transport calculations the electronic structure, magnetism and transport properties of the recently proposed graphene ribbons with edges rolled to form nanotubes. Edges with armchair nanotubes present magnetic moments localized either in the tube or the ribbon and metallic or half-metallic character, depending on the symmetry of the junction. These properties have potential for spin valve and spin filter devices with advantages over other proposed systems. Edges with zigzag nanotubes are either metallic or semiconducting without affecting the intrinsic mobility of the ribbon. By varying the type and size of the nanotubes and ribbons offers the possibility to tailor the magnetic and transport properties, making these systems very promising for applications.