We report a first-principles electronic-structure calculation on C and BN hybrid zigzag nanoribbons. We find that half-metallicity can arise in the hybrid nanoribbons even though stand-alone C or BN nanoribbon possesses a finite band gap. This unexpected half-metallicity in the hybrid nanos-tructures stems from a competition between the charge and spin polarizations, as well as from the pi orbital hybridization between C and BN. Our results point out a possibility of making spintronic devices solely based on nanoribbons and a new way of designing metal-free half metals.
@article{arxiv.0803.2073,
title = {Half Metallicity in Hybrid BCN Nanoribbons},
author = {Er-Jun Kan and Xiaojun Wu and Zhenyu Li and X. C. Zeng and Jinlong Yang and J. G. Hou},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0803.2073},
year = {2008}
}