Effect of edge disorder on electron and phonon transport through graphene nanoribbons


Science and Applications of Graphene and Nanotubes 2009 | event contribution
Link to conference: http://dfa.upc.es/gdre09/
Oct. 19, 2009 - Oct. 23, 2009 | Coma-ruga, Spain

Effects of different types of disorder on the charge transport properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) were studied in detail. Recently, we have studied the effects of Anderson-type disorder on phonon transport through semiconducting CNTs [2]. In this contribution we treat electronic as well as phononic transmission through edge disordered zigzag GNRs on the same footing. Electronic transport through GNRs with armchair edges are known to be very sensitive to edge disorder. On the contrary, GNRs with zigzag edges have more robust electronic transport properties near the charge neutrality point, except that a transport gap opens. We analyze electronic and phononic transmission through edge disordered zigzag GNRs depending on the width and the length of the sample. The mean free paths are extracted and the possibility of observing an electron-crystal together with a phonon-glass behavior is shown. Calculation of thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, shows that edge-disordered zigzag GNRs are suitable for thermoelectric applications.

Effect of edge disorder on electron and phonon transport through graphene nanoribbons


Science and Applications of Graphene and Nanotubes 2009 | event contribution
Link to conference: http://dfa.upc.es/gdre09/
Oct. 19, 2009 - Oct. 23, 2009 | Coma-ruga, Spain

Effects of different types of disorder on the charge transport properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) were studied in detail. Recently, we have studied the effects of Anderson-type disorder on phonon transport through semiconducting CNTs [2]. In this contribution we treat electronic as well as phononic transmission through edge disordered zigzag GNRs on the same footing. Electronic transport through GNRs with armchair edges are known to be very sensitive to edge disorder. On the contrary, GNRs with zigzag edges have more robust electronic transport properties near the charge neutrality point, except that a transport gap opens. We analyze electronic and phononic transmission through edge disordered zigzag GNRs depending on the width and the length of the sample. The mean free paths are extracted and the possibility of observing an electron-crystal together with a phonon-glass behavior is shown. Calculation of thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, shows that edge-disordered zigzag GNRs are suitable for thermoelectric applications.