Effects of Rashba spin–orbit coupling on the conductance of graphene-based nanoribbons

Abstract

The transmission properties of armchair- and zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbon junctions between graphene electrodes are examined by means of the standard nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) technique. The quantum transport of electrons is studied through a monolayer graphene strip in the presence of Rashba spin–orbit coupling that acts as a barrier between the two normal leads. The present work compares the conductances of nanoribbons with zigzag and armchair edges. Since the nature of induced gap for zigzag edge is different from armchair, it is expected to give rise to different types of conductance for each edge. Findings indicate that the Rashba strength has more pronounced influence on armchair ribbons than on zigzag ribbons, and the minimum conductance of [Formula: see text] for nanoribbon remains intact even in the presence of the Rashba spin–orbit coupling. It is predicted that controllability of spin transport in the monolayer graphene may contribute to the development of well-known spintronics.