Impact of Valley Degeneracy on Thermoelectric Properties of Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons with Staggered Sublattice Potentials and Transverse Electric Fields

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1. Verfasser: Kuo, David M T
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Kuo, David M T
author_facet Kuo, David M T
contents This study investigates the band inversion of flat bands in zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) using a tight-binding model. The band inversion results from symmetry breaking in the transverse direction, achievable through deposition on specific substrates such as separated silicon carbide or hexagonal boron nitride sheets. Upon band inversion, ZGNRs exhibit electronic structures characterized by valley degeneracy and band gap properties, which can be modulated by transverse electric fields. To explore the impact of this level degeneracy on thermoelectric properties, we employ Green's function techniques to calculate thermoelectric quantities in ZGNR segments with staggered sublattice potentials and transverse electric fields. Two carrier transport scenarios are considered: the chemical potential is positioned above and below the highest occupied molecular orbital. We analyze thermionic-assisted transport (TAT) and direct ballistic transport (DBT). Level degeneracy enhances the electric power factors of ZGNRs by increasing electrical conductance, while the Seebeck coefficient remains robust in the TAT scenario. Conversely, in DBT, the enhancement of the power factor primarily stems from improvements in the Seebeck coefficient at elevated temperatures.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2408_11285
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Impact of Valley Degeneracy on Thermoelectric Properties of Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons with Staggered Sublattice Potentials and Transverse Electric Fields
Kuo, David M T
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
This study investigates the band inversion of flat bands in zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) using a tight-binding model. The band inversion results from symmetry breaking in the transverse direction, achievable through deposition on specific substrates such as separated silicon carbide or hexagonal boron nitride sheets. Upon band inversion, ZGNRs exhibit electronic structures characterized by valley degeneracy and band gap properties, which can be modulated by transverse electric fields. To explore the impact of this level degeneracy on thermoelectric properties, we employ Green's function techniques to calculate thermoelectric quantities in ZGNR segments with staggered sublattice potentials and transverse electric fields. Two carrier transport scenarios are considered: the chemical potential is positioned above and below the highest occupied molecular orbital. We analyze thermionic-assisted transport (TAT) and direct ballistic transport (DBT). Level degeneracy enhances the electric power factors of ZGNRs by increasing electrical conductance, while the Seebeck coefficient remains robust in the TAT scenario. Conversely, in DBT, the enhancement of the power factor primarily stems from improvements in the Seebeck coefficient at elevated temperatures.
title Impact of Valley Degeneracy on Thermoelectric Properties of Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons with Staggered Sublattice Potentials and Transverse Electric Fields
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.11285