Spin-Polarizing Electron Beam Splitter from Crossed Graphene Nanoribbons

Junctions composed of two crossed graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have been theoretically proposed as electron beam splitters where incoming electron waves in one GNR can be split coherently into propagating waves in two outgoing terminals with nearly equal amplitude and zero back-scattering. Here we scrutinize this effect for devices composed of narrow zigzag GNRs taking explicitly into account the role of Coulomb repulsion that leads to spin-polarized edge states within mean-field theory. We show that the beam-splitting effect survives the opening of the well-known correlation gap and, more strikingly, that a spin-dependent scattering potential emerges which spin polarizes the transmitted electrons in the two outputs. By studying different ribbons and intersection angles we provide evidence that this is a general feature with edgepolarized nanoribbons. A near-perfect polarization can be achieved by joining several junctions in series. Our findings suggest that GNRs are interesting building blocks in spintronics and quantum technologies with applications for interferometry and entanglement.

Automated summary

This study investigated structures composed of narrow zigzag graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and found that the beam-splitting effect can survive under Coulomb repulsion and a spin-dependent scattering potential can emerge. The researchers also discovered that this is a general feature with edge-polarized nanoribbons, and near-perfect polarization can be achieved by joining several junctions in series.