Spin-polarized transport in zigzag graphene nanoribbons adsorbing nonmagnetic atomic chain

The spin-polarized transport properties of nonmagnetic (metallic Al and nonmetallic C) atomic chains adsorbed on zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) are investigated by the density functional theory (DFT) combined with the nonequilibrium Green’s function method. We find that the spin polarization of ZGNRs is sensitive to the adsorption sites and atomic types of the chains. As an Al chain is adsorbed on the middle of ZGNR, no spin-polarized transport arises. As the Al chain is adsorbed on the edge of ZGNR, high spin polarization is produced around the Fermi level. The different transport behaviors are originated from the fact that the edge adsorption of Al chain breaks the magnetization symmetry of two edges while the middle adsorption of Al chain only modifies the magnetizations of two edges equally. More prominent spin polarization is generated as a C chain is adsorbed on the edge of ZGNR. The complete spin polarization emerges not only around the Fermi level but also far from the Fermi level, owing to the edge states and the localized states. These results indicate that one can effectively modulate the spin-polarized transports of ZGNRs through adsorbing different nonmagnetic atomic chains. Copyright EDP Sciences, SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013