Transport properties of branched graphene nanoribbons

The electronic transport properties of three-terminal graphene nanoribbon T-junctions are investigated using a quantum tight binding molecular dynamics scheme. The transport properties are found to depend very sensitively on the geometric features of the branches of the junctions. This dependence is even more pronounced than the corresponding dependence in the case of T-shaped single wall carbon nanotubes. This is attributed to the strong dependence of the conductivity of the nanoribbons on their chirality, width, and length. An additional factor that influences the conductivity of the T-junction nanoribbons is associated with the junction itself, i.e., the way the branches are interconnected. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.