First-principles calculations of magnetic edge states in zigzag CrI3 nanoribbons

CrI₃ monolayer has recently drawn much attention due to its two-dimensional long range ferromagnetic order. We find that CrI₃ nanoribbons, which are strips of CrI₃ monolayer, can be used as building blocks of nanodevices. In this paper, we studied the atomic and electronic structures of CrI₃ zigzag nanoribbons by using first-principles calculations. CrI₃ zigzag nanoribbons are also ferromagnet. Interestingly, edge states exist in the system and play an important role in their electronic structures. They dominate the band structures around Fermi level and can be tuned by edge atomic structures. The intrinsic ferromagnetism and rich electronic structures enable CrI₃ zigzag nanoribbons a group of promising candidate materials for spintronics.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of pristine and hydrogenated borophene nanoribbons

The groundbreaking works in graphene and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) over the past decade, and the very recent discovery of borophene naturally draw attention to the yet-to-be-explored borophene nanoribbons (BNRs). We herein report a density functional theory (DFT) study of the electronic and magnetic properties of BNRs. The foci are the impact of orientation (denoted as BxNRs and ByNRs with their respective periodic orientations along x- and y-axis), ribbon width (N_x, N_y=4–15), and hydrogenation effects on the geometric, electronic and magnetic properties of BNRs. We found that the anisotropic quasi-planar geometric structure of BNR and the edge states largely govern its electronic and magnetic properties. In particular, pristine ByNRs adopt a magnetic ground state, either anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) or ferromagnetic (FM) depending on the ribbon width, while pristine BxNRs are non-magnetic (NM). Upon hydrogenation, all BNRs exhibit NM. Interestingly, both pristine and hydrogenated ByNRs undergo a metal-semiconductor-metal transition at N_y=7, while all BxNRs remain metallic.     

Electronic properties of Li-doped zigzag graphene nanoribbons

Zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) are known to exhibit metallic behavior. Depending on structural properties such as edge status, doping and width of nanoribbons, the electronic properties of these structures may vary. In this study, changes in electronic properties of crystal by doping Lithium (Li) atom to ZGNR structure are analyzed. In spin polarized calculations are made using Density Functional Theory (DFT) with generalized gradient approximation (GGA) as exchange correlation. As a result of calculations, it has been determined that Li atom affects electronic properties of ZGNR structure significantly. It is observed that ZGNR structure exhibiting metallic behavior in pure state shows half-metal and semiconductor behavior with Li atom.     

Electronic structures of zigzag AlN, GaN nanoribbons and AlxGa1−xN nanoribbon heterojunctions: First-principles study

The electronic and structural properties of zigzag aluminum nitride (AlN), gallium nitride (GaN) nanoribbons and Al_xGa_1−xN nanoribbon heterojunctions are investigated using the first-principles calculations. Both AlN and GaN ribbons are found to be semiconductor with an indirect band gap, which decreases monotonically with the increased ribbon width, and approaching to the gaps of their infinite two dimensional graphitic-like monolayer structures, respectively. Furthermore, the band gap of Al_xGa_1−xN nanoribbon heterojunctions is closely related to Al (and/or Ga) concentrations. The Al_xGa_1−xN nanoribbon of width n=8 shows a continuously band gap varying from about 2.2 eV-3.1 eV as x increases from 0 to 1. The large ranged tunable band gaps in such a quasi one dimension structure may open up new opportunities for these AlN/GaN based materials in future optoelectronic devices.     

Nitrogen and Boron substitutional doped zigzag silicene nanoribbons: Ab initio investigation

We performed a spin polarized density-function theory study of the stabilities, electronic and magnetic properties of zigzag silicene nanoribbons (ZSiNRs) substitutionally doped with a single N or B atom located at various sites ranging from edge to center of the ribbon. From minimization of the formation energy, it is found that the substitutional doping is favorable at edge of the ribbon. A single N or B atom substitution one edge Si atom of ZSiNRs can greatly suppress the spin-polarizations of the impurity atom site and its vicinity region, and leads to a transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) state to ferromagnetic (FM) state, which is attributed to the splitting of the original spin degenerate edge bands. A single N atom doped ZSiNRs still keep semiconductor property but a single B atom doped ZSiNRs exhibit a half-metallic character. Our results reveal that substitution doped ZSiNRs have potential applications in Si-based nanoelectronics, such as field effect transisitors (FETs), negative differential resistance (NDR) and spin filter (SF) devices.     

Structural and electronic properties of a single C chain doped zigzag BN nanoribbons

The effects of single C-chain on the stability, structural and electronic properties of zigzag BN nanoribbons (ZBNNRs) were investigated by first-principles calculations. C-chain was expected to dope at B-edge for all the ribbon widths _Nz$N_z$ considered. The band gaps of C-chain doped _Nz$N_z$-ZBNNR are narrower than that of perfect ZBNNR due to new localized states induced by C-chain. The band gaps of _Nz$N_z$-ZBNNR-C(n  ) are direct except for the case of C-chain position n=2$n=2$. Band gaps of BN nanoribbons are tunable by C-chain and its position n, which may endow the potential applications of BNNR in electronics.     

Fe掺杂ZnTe团簇结构和磁性质

本文采用第一性原理密度泛函理论系统的研究了Fe原子单掺杂和双掺杂(ZnTe)12团簇的结构和磁性质。我们考虑了替代掺杂和间隙掺杂。不管是单掺杂还是双掺杂,间隙掺杂团簇都是最稳定结构。团簇磁矩主要来自Fe-3d态的贡献,4s 和4p 态也贡献了一小部分磁矩。由于轨道杂化,相邻的Zn和Te原子上也产生少量自旋。最重要的是,我们指出间隙双掺杂团簇是铁磁耦合,在纳米量子器件有潜在的应用价值。     

Fe掺杂ZnTe团簇结构和磁性质

本文采用第一性原理密度泛函理论系统的研究了Fe原子单掺杂和双掺杂（ ZnTe）12团簇的结构和磁性质。我们考虑了替代掺杂和间隙掺杂。不管是单掺杂还是双掺杂,间隙掺杂团簇都是最稳定结构。团簇磁矩主要来自Fe－3d态的贡献,4s和4p态也贡献了一小部分磁矩。由于轨道杂化,相邻的Zn和Te原子上也产生少量自旋。最重要的是,我们指出间隙双掺杂团簇是铁磁耦合,在纳米量子器件有潜在的应用价值。     

Co掺杂碲化锌团簇结构和磁性质

本文采用第一性原理密度泛函理论系统的研究了Co原子单掺杂和双掺杂(ZnTe)12团簇的结构和磁性质。考虑了两种掺杂方式：替代掺杂和间隙掺杂。不管是单掺杂还是双掺杂,间隙掺杂团簇都是最稳定结构。Co掺杂团簇的磁性依赖于Co原子周围环境。最重要的是,我们指出替代双掺杂团簇是铁磁耦合,在纳米量子器件领域有潜在的应用价值。     

Co掺杂碲化锌团簇结构和磁性质

本文采用第一性原理密度泛函理论系统的研究了Co原子单掺杂和双掺杂(ZnTe)12团簇的结构和磁性质。考虑了两种掺杂方式：替代掺杂和间隙掺杂。不管是单掺杂还是双掺杂,间隙掺杂团簇都是最稳定结构。Co掺杂团簇的磁性依赖于Co原子周围环境。最重要的是,我们指出替代双掺杂团簇是铁磁耦合,在纳米量子器件领域有潜在的应用价值。     

Structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of pristine and oxygen-adsorbed graphene nanoribbons

The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of pristine and oxygen-adsorbed (3,0) zigzag and (6,1) armchair graphene nanoribbons have been investigated theoretically, by employing the ab initio pseudopotential method within the density functional scheme. The zigzag nanoribbon is more stable with antiferromagnetically coupled edges, and is semiconducting. The armchair nanoribbon does not show any preference for magnetic ordering and is semiconducting. The oxygen molecule in its triplet state is adsorbed most stably at the edge of the zigzag nanoribbon. The Stoner metallic behaviour of the ferromagnetic nanoribbons and the Slater insulating (ground state) behaviour of the antiferromagnetic nanoribbons remain intact upon oxygen adsorption. However, the local magnetic moment of the edge carbon atom of the ferromagnetic zigzag ribbon is drastically reduced, due to the formation of a spin-paired C-O bond.     

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of Fe-Ir, Co-Ir and Ni-Ir linear and zigzag nanowires: First-principles calculations

The magnetic and electronic properties of both linear and zigzag bimetallic chains of Fe-Ir, Co-Ir and Ni-Ir have been calculated based on density functional theory and using the generalized gradient approximation. It is found that all considered zigzag chains form a twisted two-legged ladder, look like a corner-sharing triangle ribbon, and have a lower total energy than the corresponding linear chains. All the Fe-Ir, Co-Ir and Ni-Ir linear and zigzag chains have stable or metastable ferromagnetic (FM) states. The bond lengths in bimetallic Fe-Ir, Co-Ir and Ni-Ir at ferromagnetic state are larger than those in the corresponding structures at nonmagnetic state. Interestingly, the Ni-Ir zigzag nanowire has two energy minimum states, both ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic (NM), indicating a possible stable condition for mechanically controllable break-junction experiments.     

Impact of Phosphorus superlattices on charge and spin dependent transport properties of zigzag silicene nanoribbons

To investigate charge and spin dependent conductance properties of Phosphorus doped zigzag silicene nanoribbons (ZSiNRs), we utilize recursive Green's function method and Landauer-Büttiker formalism. Our calculations are performed in the absence and presence of exchange magnetic fields with both parallel and antiparallel configurations. Considering a supperlattice of Phosphorus substituents in a periodic distribution at the edge of nanoribbon, the effect of increasing number of dopants and period of the distribution on transport properties are studied. It is found that transport properties of doped ZSiNRs vary with doping concentration according to being odd or even of number of dopants. For parallel configuration, doped ZSiNR with various concentrations works as a controllable spin filter with Fermi energy. Increasing doping concentration leads to increasing size of conductance gap and improvement of controlling quality of spin-filtering property while increasing period of Phosphorus atomic distribution has destructive effect on size of conductance gap and destroys spin-filtering property. Moreover, we show that although the same results are obtained for transport properties of doped ZSiNR with various concentrations of Phosphorus atoms in presence of antiparallel exchange magnetic fields, a completely controllable spin-filtering property cannot be achieved by Fermi energy changes.     

Structural features and electronic properties of Group-IIIB pnictides nanosheets and nanoribbons

Two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit unique electronic properties compared with their bulks. A systematical study of new type 2D tetragonal materials of MPn (M = Sc and Y; Pn = P, As and Sb) nanosheets and the corresponding nanoribbons are proposed by density functional theory calculations. Several thermodynamically stable 2D tetragonal structures were firstly determined, and such novel tetragonal structures bilayer MPn(100) exhibit extraordinary Weyl semimetal electronic structures, while monolayer MPn(110) are semiconductors. Moreover, bilayer MPn(100) nanoribbons with zigzag edges show metallic behavior, whereas those with linear edges show semiconducting properties. The band gaps for bilayer MPn(100) nanoribbons with linear edges can be significantly tuned by their widths. The zero-gap semiconducting behaviors of 2D tetragonal MPn nanosheets and the tunable band gaps of 1D MPn nanoribbons provide these MPn nanosheets and nanoribbons with promising applications in nanoscale electronic devices.     

Coverage dependent magnetic properties of Co chain-coated carbon nanotube

Magnetic properties of Co chain-coated carbon nanotube (CNT) were investigated using a first-principles calculation. Binding energy between Co chain and CNT increased with the coverage ratio, and the adsorption of Co chains on CNT enhanced the conductance channel. Total magnetic moment of Co chains coated on CNT increased with the coverage ratio, while the magnetic moment per Co atom decreased due to spin flip of majority spin states in Co atoms. Spin polarization at the Fermi level of the Co chains was calculated to converge to that of bulk fcc Co.     

Perfect spin-filtering in p-aminophenol functionalized zigzag graphene nanoribbons: The role of sp3 hybridized nitrogen

Covalent functionalization of graphene is recently developed from the formation of sp³ hybridized carbon atom (sp³-C) to the sp³ hybridized nitrogen (sp³-N) at the anchoring site. Here, we investigated the electronic structures and transport properties of the zigzag graphene nanoribbons functionalized by covalently bonding of p-aminophenol (p-AP) molecule. First principles results demonstrate that the formed sp³-N plays a vital role in determining the electronic structure and transport properties of the system, resulting in a halfmetallic characteristic with a perfect spin-filtering behavior (100%). Interestingly, the performance of the spin-filtering is find to be insensitive to the sub-structures of the molecule. Our findings reveal the importance of sp³-N and suggest a new mechanism for realizing high-performance spin-filtering devices with functionalized graphene.     

边界修饰醚基的锯齿形石墨烯纳米条带的场发射的第一性原理研究

采用一种基于密度泛函理论计算的自洽方法研究了边界修饰有C-O-C醚基的锯齿形石墨烯纳米条带(包括边界有连续的醚基ZGNR-CE和50%覆盖度的醚基ZGNR-AE)的电子场发射特性. 模拟结果显示两种纳米条带的场发射主要由布里渊区中心且靠近费米面的电子态所决定. 因为具有较低的功函数,ZGNR-CE条带能产生比未修饰的重构锯齿形石墨烯纳米条带强很多的场发射电流;而ZGNR-AE条带有着几乎完全自旋极化的场发射电流,尽管电流不够强. 另外在较低的外电场下,单轴方向的外加应变能有效调控它们的场发射电流,但ZGNR-AE条带的高自旋极化保持不变. 通过分析这些条带的功函数、能带结构以及结合边界电偶极模型,揭示了相关机制.     

Adsorption of CO gas molecules on zigzag BN/AlN nanoribbons for nano sensor applications

First-principle calculations have been performed to study the sensing of CO gas in various considered configurations. The adsorption of CO on zigzag BN nanoribbon (ZBNNR) and zigzag AlN nanoribbon (ZAlNNR) was modelled in five different possibilities. The effect of CO adsorption is to reduce the band gap in both types (BN/AlN) of the nanoribbons. Interestingly, a finite magnetic moment (0.96 ${\mu }_B$ for ZBNNR and 0.69 ${\mu }_B$ for ZAlNNR) has been obtained which depends upon the adsorption configuration of CO. Half-metallicity was also observed upon selective CO adsorption on ZAlNNR irrespective of the ribbon width. Present findings suggest that CO gas molecules could be detected through adsorption on BN/AlN nanoribbons via changes in electronic and/or magnetic properties.