Disorder scattering in graphene nanoribbons

• Published in: Physica Status Solidi (b) Vol. 248; no. 11; pp. 2598 - 2603
• Main Authors: Libisch, F., Rotter, S., Burgdörfer, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.11.2011; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cones; defects; Disorders; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport in multilayers, nanoscale materials and structures; Exact sciences and technology; Graphene; Mathematical models; Nanocomposites; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanomaterials; nanoribbons; Nanoscale contacts; Nanostructure; Physics; Scattering; Electrical conductivity; Point defects; Order degree; Graphene; Nanocontacts; Nanotape; Transport processes; Electron-defect interactions; Green's function methods; Recursion method
• ISSN: 0370-1972; 1521-3951; 1521-3951
• DOI: 10.1002/pssb.201100157

We investigate transport through bulk‐disordered graphene nanoribbons and nanoconstrictions. Employing a modular recursive Green's function algorithm, we study devices of realistic size (up to 100.000 nm2). By Fourier transforming the scattered wave we disentangle inter‐valley scattering between the two Dirac cones of graphene and intra‐valley scattering on a single cone. We find that different types of defects leave characteristic signatures on transport properties which we can describe with a simplified scattering model. A quantitative comparison with recent experimental data is performed which yields insights into the disorder concentration in realistic samples. Prototype defects to simulate (a) sublattice‐symmetry breaking scattering at single vacancies and (b) sublattice‐symmetry conserving scattering at double vacancies.