Enhanced optical conductivity of bilayer graphene nanoribbons in the terahertz regime

Authors

Anthony Wright, University of WollongongFollow
Chao Zhang, University of WollongongFollow
Juncheng Cao, University of Wollongong

RIS ID

29535

Publication Details

Wright, A., Cao, J. & Zhang, C. (2009). Enhanced optical conductivity of bilayer graphene nanoribbons in the terahertz regime. Physical Review Letters, 103 (20), 207401-1-207401-4.

Abstract

We reveal that there exists a class of graphene structures (a sub-class of bilayer graphene nanoribbons) which has an exceptionally strong optical response in the terahertz (THz) and far infrared (FIR) regime. The peak conductance of THz/FIR active bilayer ribbons is around two orders of magnitude higher than the universal conductance of $\sigma_0=e^2/4\hbar$ observed in graphene sheets. The criterion for the THz/FIR active sub-class is a bilayer graphene nanoribbon with a one-dimensional massless Dirac Fermion energy dispersion near the $\Gamma$ point. Our results overcome a significant obstacle that hinders potential application of graphene in electronics and photonics.