Year: 2007
Type: article
Abstract: We investigate electron-phonon couplings, scattering rates, and mean free paths in zigzag-edge graphene strips with widths of the order of $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$. Our calculations for these graphene nanostrips show both the expected similarity with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and the suppression of the electron-phonon scattering due to a Dirichlet boundary condition that prohibits one major backscattering channel present in SWNTs. Low-energy acoustic phonon scattering is exponentially small at room temperature due to the large phonon wave vector required for backscattering. We find within our model that the electron-phonon mean free path is proportional to the width of the nanostrip and is approximately $70\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ for an $11\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{nm}$-wide nanostrip.
Source: Physical Review B
Authors: D. Gunlycke, H. M. Lawler, C. T. White
Institution: United States Naval Research Laboratory
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Office of Naval Research
OpenAlex ID: W2023658718