Spin resolved electronic structure and transport properties of zinc oxide nanoribbon based devices

Abstract

Employing first principles study, through Density Functional Theory, spin resolved electronic structure and transport behavior of ZnO nanoribbon devices are addressed. Electronic transport properties of both armchair and zigzag ZnO nanoribbon (AZnO and ZZnO, respectively) are investigated using the ZnO and Ni electrodes. Spin dependent electronic properties of these structures are exhibited through the band-structure, transmission and density of states. A spin-asymmetric metallic property and a high spin polarization nearby the Fermi level is found for the ZZnO which can be harnessed to develop a spin-valve device. It is demonstrated that, using either a defect or Ni electrodes in the AZnO, both the electronic transport and magnetic properties of an AZnO based device can be tailored. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the AZnO attached to the Ni electrodes (AZnO-Ni) reveals spin resolved non-ohmic behavior. A pronounced negative differential resistance occurs for both majority and minority current of the AZnO-Ni at certain bias intervals. The induced magnetic moment, spin polarization and other relevant quantities associated with the spin resolved electronic transport are elucidated.