Eur. Phys. J. B 77, 433-440 (2010)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2010-00288-9

Low-energy electron transmission in a partially unzipped zigzag nanotube

Space Research Institute of NAS and NSA of Ukraine, Kyiv, 03680, Ukraine

Corresponding author: ^a yurkl@ikd.kiev.ua

Received: 7 June 2010
Revised: 3 September 2010
Published online: 6 October 2010

Abstract

Based on the nearest-neighbor tight-binding approximation, we present exact analytical expressions for electron transmission in nanotube/ribbon junctions, generated by incomplete unzipping of zigzag nanotubes. By assuming one-dimer-line difference in the widths of the leads, it is demonstrated that such a contact exhibits zero backscattering of low-energy electrons entering from the graphene side of the junction. We also show that a zigzag nanotube section sandwiched between two armchair graphene ribbons is completely transparent for incident low-energy electrons. Possible application of the results to nanosensor engineering is also included.