Intrinsic spin-orbit interactions in flat and curved graphene nanoribbons

[EN] Recent theoretical and experimental works on carbon nanotubes and graphene samples have revealed that spin-orbit interactions, though customarily ignored in carbon-based materials, are more important and complex than it was thought. We study the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling effects on graphene...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: López-Sancho, María Pilar, Muñoz, M. Carmen
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2011
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/280395
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/280395
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:[EN] Recent theoretical and experimental works on carbon nanotubes and graphene samples have revealed that spin-orbit interactions, though customarily ignored in carbon-based materials, are more important and complex than it was thought. We study the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling effects on graphene nanoribbons, both flat and bent. Calculations are performed within the tight-binding model with the inclusion of a four-orbital basis set; thereby the full symmetry of the honeycomb lattice and the hybridization of σ and π bands are considered. In addition to the zero-energy π-edge states, σ-derived edge states are found for the three investigated ribbon geometries. The σ states are also spin filtered and localized at the boundaries of the ribbons. The calculated spin-orbit splittings are larger for the σ- than for the π-derived edge states. Due to this enhancement, spin-orbit splittings of the σ states reach values of the order of a few Kelvin. These spin-filtered edge states are robust under σ-π hybridization and curvature effects. © 2011 American Physical Society.