Self-Assembled Metal Atom Chains on Graphene Nanoribbons

Electronic and magnetic properties of alkali and alkaline-earth metal doped graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are studied by the pseudopotential density functional method. Strong site dependence is observed in metal adsorption on GNRs, and the adsorbed metal atoms are found to spontaneously form atomic chains in a particular form of GNRs. Such doped GNRs exhibit intriguing magnetic properties such as hysteresis and spin compensation as metal atoms switch from one edge to another at alternating gate voltages. Our study shows that the metal atoms can be used as reagents that can identify the edge atomic structures of GNRs and also as gate-driven spin valves that control the spin current in GNRs.