Spin Gapless Semiconductor−Metal−Half-Metal Properties in Nitrogen-Doped Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons

作者：Yafei Li, Zhen Zhou, Pan‐Wen Shen, Zhongfang Chen · 发表于：ACS Nano · 年份：2009 · DOI：10.1021/nn9003428 · 被引用次数：543 · 研究领域：Graphene research and applications、Advancements in Battery Materials、2D Materials and Applications

The geometries, formation energies, and electronic and magnetic properties of N-doping defects, including single atom substitution and pyridine- and pyrrole-like substructures in zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs), were investigated by means of spin-unrestricted density functional theory computations. The edge carbon atoms are more easily substituted with N atoms, and three-nitrogen vacancy (3NV) defect and four-nitrogen divacancy (4ND) defect also prefer the ribbon edge. Single N atom substitution and pyridine- and pyrrole-like N-doping defects can all break the degeneracy of the spin polarization of pristine ZGNRs. One single N atom substitution makes the antiferromagnetic semiconducting ZGNRs into spin gapless semiconductors, while double edge substitution transforms N-doped graphenes into metals. Pyridine- and pyrrole-like N-doping defects make ZGNRs into half-metals or spin gapless semiconductors. These results suggest the potential applications of N-doped ZGNRs in nanoelectronics.