Quantum spin transport in carbon chains.
First-principles and non-equilibrium Green's function approaches are used to predict spin-polarized electronic transport in monatomic carbon chains covalently connected to graphene nanoribbons, as recently synthetized experimentally (Jin, C.; et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2009, 102, 205501-205504). Quantum electron conductances exhibit narrow resonant states resulting from the simultaneous presence of open conductance channels in the contact region and on the chain atoms. Odd-numbered chains, which acquire metallic or semiconducting character depending on the nature of the edge at the graphene contact, always display a net spin polarization. The combination of electrical and magnetic properties of chains and contacts results in nanodevices with intriguing spintronic properties such as the coexistence of magnetic and semiconducting behaviors.
Zanolli
Zeila
Z
Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences (IMCN), Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 1, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. zeilazanolli@gmail.com
Onida
Giovanni
G
Charlier
J-C
JC