Use this URL to cite or link to this record in EThOS: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.658272
Title: Physical properties of graphene nano-devices
Author: Hills, Romilly D. Y.
ISNI:       0000 0004 5352 7164
Awarding Body: Loughborough University
Current Institution: Loughborough University
Date of Award: 2015
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Abstract:
In this doctoral thesis the two dimensional material graphene has been studied in depth with particular respect to Zener tunnelling devices. From the hexagonal structure the Hamiltonian at a Dirac point was derived with the option of including an energy gap. This Hamiltonian was then used to obtain the tunnelling properties of various graphene nano-devices; the devices studied include Zener tunnelling potential barriers such as single and double graphene potential steps. A form of the Landauer formalism was obtained for graphene devices. Combined with the scattering properties of potential barriers the current and conductance was found for a wide range of graphene nano-devices. These results were then compared to recently obtained experimental results for graphene nano-ribbons, showing many similarities between nano-ribbons and infinite sheet graphene. The methods studied were then applied to materials which have been shown to possess three dimensional Dirac cones known as topological insulators. In the case of Cd3As2 the Dirac cone is asymmetrical with respect to the z-direction, the effect of this asymmetry has been discussed with comparison to the symmetrical case.
Supervisor: Not available Sponsor: Not available
Qualification Name: Thesis (Ph.D.) Qualification Level: Doctoral
EThOS ID: uk.bl.ethos.658272  DOI: Not available
Keywords: Graphene ; PN junction ; Transistor ; WKB approximation ; Zener tunnelling ; Landauer formalism ; Current-voltage characteristics ; Potential step ; Potential barrier
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