arXiv subjects

Oded Hod

Publications and source records attributed to Oded Hod.

62 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Constructing Spin Interference Devices from Nanometric Rings

The study of nanospintronic devices utilizing coherent transport through molecular scale multiply-connected geometries in the presence of moderate magnetic fields is presented. It is shown how two types of simple devices, spin filters and spin splitters (or Stern-Gerlach devices) may be constructed from molecular nanometric rings utilizing the Aharonov-Bohm effect. The current is calculated within a single electron approximation and within a many-body master equation approach where charging effects are accounted for in the Coulomb Blockade regime. We provide rules and tools to develop and analyze efficient spintronic devices based on nanometric interferometers.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Edge Effects in Finite Elongated Graphene Nanoribbons

We analyze the relevance of finite-size effects to the electronic structure of long graphene nanoribbons using a divide and conquer density functional approach. We find that for hydrogen terminated graphene nanoribbons most of the physical features appearing in the density of states of an infinite graphene nanoribbon are recovered at a length of 40 nm. Nevertheless, even for the longest systems considered (72 nm long) pronounced edge effects appear in the vicinity of the Fermi energy. The weight of these edge states scales inversely with the length of the ribbon and they are expected to become negligible only at ribbons lengths of the order of micrometers. Our results indicate that careful consideration of finite-size and edge effects should be applied when designing new nanoelectronic devices based on graphene nanoribbons. These conclusions are expected to hold for other one-dimensional systems such as carbon nanotubes, conducting polymers, and DNA molecules.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Half-metallic graphene nanodots

A comprehensive first-principles theoretical study of the electronic properties and half-metallic nature of finite rectangular graphene nanoribbons is presented. We identify the bisanthrene isomer of the C28H14 molecule to be the smallest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon to present a spin polarized ground state. Even at this quantum dot level, the spins are predicted to be aligned antiferromagnetically at the two zigzag edges of the molecule. As a rule of thumb, we find that zigzag edges that are at least three consecutive units long, will present spin polarization if the width of the system is 1 nm or wider. Room temperature detectability of the magnetic ordering is predicted for molecules with zigzag edges 1 nm and longer. For the longer systems studied, spin wave structures appear in some high spin multiplicity states. Energy gap oscillations with the length of the zigzag edge are observed. The amplitude of these oscillations is found to be smaller than that predicted for infinite ribbons. The half-metallic nature of the ribbons under an external in-plane electric field is found to be preserved even for finite and extremely short systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Enhanced Half-Metallicity in Edge-Oxidized Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons

We present a novel comprehensive first-principles theoretical study of the electronic properties and relative stabilities of edge-oxidized zigzag graphene nanoribbons. The oxidation schemes considered include hydroxyl, carboxyl, ether, and ketone groups. Using screened exchange density functional theory, we show that these oxidized ribbons are more stable than hydrogen-terminated nanoribbons except for the case of the etheric groups. The stable oxidized configurations maintain a spin-polarized ground state with antiferromagnetic ordering localized at the edges, similar to the fully hydrogenated counterparts. More important, edge oxidation is found to lower the onset electric field required to induce half-metallic behavior and extend the overall field range at which the systems remain half-metallic. Once the half-metallic state is reached, further increase of the external electric field intensity produces a rapid decrease in the spin magnetization up to a point where the magnetization is quenched completely. Finally, we find that oxygen containing edge groups have a minor effect on the energy difference between the antiferromagnetic ground state and the above-lying ferromagnetic state.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2006

Edge effects in finite elongated carbon nanotubes

The importance of finite-size effects for the electronic structure of long zigzag and armchair carbon nanotubes is studied. We analyze the electronic structure of capped (6,6), (8,0), and (9,0) single walled carbon nanotubes as a function of their length up to 60 nm, using a divide and conquer density functional theory approach. For the metallic nanotubes studied, most of the physical features appearing in the density of states of an infinite carbon nanotube are recovered at a length of 40 nm. The (8,0) semi-conducting nanotube studied exhibits pronounced edge effects within the energy gap that scale as the inverse of the length of the nanotube. As a result, the energy gap reduces from the value of ~1 eV calculated for the periodic system to a value of ~0.25 eV calculated for a capped 62 nm long CNT. These edge effects are expected to become negligible only at tube lengths exceeding 6 micrometers. Our results indicate that careful tailoring of the nature of the system and its capping units should be applied when designing new nanoelectronic devices based on carbon nanotubes. These conclusions are expected to hold for other one-dimensional systems such as graphene nanoribbons, conducting polymers, and DNA molecules.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2006

Inelastic effects in Aharonov-Bohm molecular interferometer

Inelastic effects arising from electron-phonon coupling in molecular Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometers are studied using the nonequilibrium Green's function method. Results for the magnetoconductance are compared for different values of the electron-phonon coupling strength. At low bias voltages, the coupling to the phonons does not change the lifetime and leads mainly to scattering phase shifts of the conducting electrons. Surprisingly, opposite to the behavior of an electrical gate, the magnetoconductance of the molecular AB interferometer becomes more sensitive to the threading magnetic flux as the electron-phonon coupling is increased.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

Magnetoresistance Devices Based on Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes

We demonstrate the physical principles for the construction of a nanometer sized magnetoresistance device based on the Aharonov-Bohm effect. The proposed device is made of a short single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) placed on a substrate and coupled to a tip. We consider conductance due to motion of electrons along the circumference of the tube (as opposed to motion parallel to its axis). We find that the circumference conductance is sensitive to magnetic fields threading the SWCNT due to the Aharonov-Bohm effect, and show that by retracting the tip, so that its coupling to the SWCNT is reduced, very high sensitivity to the threading magnetic field develops. This is due to the formation of a narrow resonance through which the tunneling current flows. Using a bias potential the resonance can be shifted to low magnetic fields, allowing the control of conductance with magnetic fields of the order of 1 Tesla.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2004

Feasible Nanometric Magnetoresistance Devices

The electrical conductance through a ring is sensitive to the threading magnetic flux. It contains a component that is periodic with an Aharonov-Bohm (AB) period equal to the quantum flux. In molecular/atomic loops on the nanometer scale, encircling very small areas, the AB period involves unrealistically huge magnetic fields. We show that despite this, moderate magnetic fields can have a strong impact on the conductance. By controlling the lifetime of the conduction electron through a pre-selected single state that is well separated from other states due to the quantum confinement effect, we demonstrate that magnetic fields comparable to one Tesla can be used to switch a nanometric AB device. Using atomistic electronic structure calculations, we show that such effects can be expected for loops composed of monovalent metal atoms (quantum corals). Our findings suggest that future fabrication of nanometric magnetoresistance devices is feasible.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗