Making a field effect transistor on a single graphene nanoribbon by selective doping

Using first-principle electronic structure calculations, we show a metal- semiconductor transition of a metallic graphene nanoribbon with zigzag edges induced by substitutional doping of Nitrogen or Boron atoms at the edges. A field effect transistor consisting of a metal-semiconductor-metal junction can then be constructed by selective doping of the ribbon edges. The current-voltage characteristics of such a prototype device is determined by the first-principle quantum transport calculations.