An investigation of ZGNR-based transistors

Graphene, a recently discovered form of carbon, has received much attention for possible applications in nanoelectronics, due to its excellent carrier transport properties [1]. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are thin strips of graphene, where the electronic properties depend on the chirality of the edge and the width of the ribbon. Zigzag GNRs (ZGNRs) show metalic behavior, whereas armchair GNRs (AGNRs) are semiconductors and their band-gap is inversely proportional to their width [2]. Therefore, narrow AGNRs have been recently suggested as a material for transistor channels. However, line edge roughness and substrate impurities can significantly degrade the ballistic transport in AGNRs, especially in narrow ribbons [3].