Topological Phases in Graphene Nanoribbons Tuned by Electric Fields

Fangzhou Zhao, Ting Cao, and Steven G. Louie
Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 166401 – Published 12 October 2021
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Abstract

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) possess distinct symmetry-protected topological phases. We show, through first-principles calculations, that by applying an experimentally accessible transverse electric field, certain boron and nitrogen periodically codoped GNRs have tunable topological phases. The tunability arises from a field-induced band inversion due to an opposite response of the conduction- and valence-band states to the electric field. With a spatially varying applied field, segments of GNRs of distinct topological phases are created, resulting in a field-programmable array of topological junction states, each may be occupied with charge or spin. Our findings not only show that electric field may be used as an easy tuning knob for topological phases in quasi-one-dimensional systems, but also provide new design principles for future GNR-based quantum electronic devices through their topological characters.

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  • Received 11 February 2021
  • Accepted 8 September 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.166401

© 2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Fangzhou Zhao1,2, Ting Cao1,2,3, and Steven G. Louie1,2,*

  • 1Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
  • 2Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
  • 3Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA

  • *sglouie@berkeley.edu

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Issue

Vol. 127, Iss. 16 — 15 October 2021

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