Ultra-narrow metallic armchair graphene nanoribbons

Amina Kimouche, Mikko M. Ervasti, Robert Drost, Simo Halonen, Ari Harju, Pekka M. Joensuu, Jani Sainio and Peter Liljeroth ()
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Amina Kimouche: Aalto University School of Science
Mikko M. Ervasti: COMP Centre of Excellence, Aalto University School of Science
Robert Drost: Aalto University School of Science
Simo Halonen: Aalto University School of Chemical Technology
Ari Harju: COMP Centre of Excellence, Aalto University School of Science
Pekka M. Joensuu: Aalto University School of Chemical Technology
Jani Sainio: Aalto University School of Science
Peter Liljeroth: Aalto University School of Science

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs)—narrow stripes of graphene—have emerged as promising building blocks for nanoelectronic devices. Recent advances in bottom-up synthesis have allowed production of atomically well-defined armchair GNRs with different widths and doping. While all experimentally studied GNRs have exhibited wide bandgaps, theory predicts that every third armchair GNR (widths of N=3m+2, where m is an integer) should be nearly metallic with a very small bandgap. Here, we synthesize the narrowest possible GNR belonging to this family (five carbon atoms wide, N=5). We study the evolution of the electronic bandgap and orbital structure of GNR segments as a function of their length using low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy and density-functional theory calculations. Already GNRs with lengths of 5 nm reach almost metallic behaviour with ∼100 meV bandgap. Finally, we show that defects (kinks) in the GNRs do not strongly modify their electronic structure.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10177

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