Curvature in graphene nanoribbons generates temporally and spatially focused electric currents

Abstract

Today graphene nanoribbons and other graphene-based nanostructures can be synthesized with atomic precision. But while investigations have concentrated on straight graphene ribbons of fixed crystal orientation, ribbons with intrinsic curvature have remained mainly unexplored. Here, we investigate electronic transport in intrinsically curved graphene nanoribbons coupled to straight leads using two computational approaches. Stationary approach shows how transport gaps are affected both by the straight leads and by the degree of edge asymmetry in the curved ribbons. An advanced time-dependent approach shows that behind the façade of calm stationary transport the currents run violently: curvature triggers temporally and spatially focused electric currents, to the extent that for short durations single carbon–carbon bonds carry currents far exceeding the steady-state currents in the entire ribbons. Recognizing this focusing is pivotal for a robust design of graphene sensors and circuitries.