Carbon-based nanomaterials as contacts to graphene nanoribbons

Making good electrical contacts to nanodevice channels is crucial for device performance. Carbon-based nanomaterials are studied and compared to each other as the contact materials for graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) by atomistic quantum transport simulations. A monolayer graphene that has an AB stacking structure on the GNR offers the best electrical contact. Rotation of the graphene layer with regard to the GNR leads to a considerable increase in the contact resistance and contact transfer length. Importance of wave vector matching and interfacial defects is examined for improving electrical contacts to GNRs. This paper could be useful for designing all-carbon-based circuits. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3533803]