NCN@Purdue Summer School, July 20-24, 2009

Graphene PN Junctions
Tony Low and Mark Lundstrom
Network for Computational Nanotechnology
Discovery Park, Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN

acknowledgments

Supriyo Datta and Joerg Appenzeller

outline

1) Introduction
2) Electron optics in graphene
3) Transmission across NP junctions
4) Conductance of PN and NN junctions
5) Discussion
6) Summary

PN junctions: semiconductors vs. graphene

E (x)

EC (x) qV (x)

In
EF 1

EV (x)

q (Vbi VA )

I = I 0 eqVA

kb T

I 0 ni2 e EG

kb T

experimental observation

GN

ID

GNP

GNP < GN

VA

B. Huard, J.A. Sulpizo, N. Stander, K. Todd, B. Yang, and D. Goldhaber-Gordon,

Transport measurements across a tunable potential barrier in graphene, Phys.
Rev. Lett., 98, 236803, 2007.
5

electron optics in graphene

Semiclassical electron trajectories

are analogous to the rays in
geometrical optics.
If the mfp is long, one may be able
to realize graphene analogues of
optical devices.

Snells Law

sin 2 =

n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2

n1
sin 1
n2

2
1
n1

y
x

n2

negative index of refraction

sin 2 =

n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2

1
n1

n1
sin 1
n2

2 < 0
y
x

n2 < 0

Veselago lens

n1 > 0

n2 = n1

theoretical prediction

electron trajectories

Science, 315, 1252, March 2007

10

N-type

P-type

making graphene PN junctions

From: N. Stander, B. Huard, and D. Goldhaber-Gordon, Evidence for

Klein Tunneling in Graphene p-n Junctions, PRL 102, 026807
(2009)
11

band diagrams: conventional PN junctions

N+
E (x)
I

P
EC (x)

EI (x) qV (x)

Fn

Fp
q (Vbi VA )

EV (x)

12

band diagrams: graphene PN junctions

E
E

ENP (x) qV (x)

kx
kx

EF 1
kx

x
13

an abrupt graphene N+N junction

E (x)

x = + F

x = + F

EF 1
kx

ENP (x)

qVJ < 0

kx

x
Apply a low bias. Conduction occurs
through states near the Fermi level.
14

an abrupt graphene PN junction

E (x)

x = + F

x = + F

kx

ENP (x)

qVJ

EF 1
kx

x
Apply a low bias. Conduction occurs
through states near the Fermi level.
Note that kx kx015changes sign!

conductance of graphene junctions

N+N
E (x)

x = + F

NP
E

x = + F

E (x)

EF 1
kx

kx

ENP (x)

x = + F

EF 1

qVJ

x = + F

kx

ENP (x)

qVJ
kx

ID

GN

GNP

NI

E (x)

GNI

VA

x = + F

EF 1

x = + F

kx
kx

ENP (x)

qVJ

x
16

objectives

To understand:
1) Electron optics in NP junctions
2) The conductance of NP and NN junctions

17

about graphene
E (k ) =
F k =
F k x2 + k y2

E (x)

1 E
= F
k
1 E
k
= F cos
=
(
)
x
k x
1 E
= F sin
=
y (k )
k y

=
(k )

EF
gV = 2

kx

neutral point
Dirac point

F 1 10 8 cm/s

ky

D( E ) = 2 E 2 F2

M ( E ) = W 2 E F
18

electron wavefunction in graphene

1 i (kx x + ky y)
(x, y) = i e
se

s = sgn (E )
(x, y) =

e(x

i k x + ky y

= arctan (ky kx )
y
x

absence of backscattering

1
1

E (x)

1
1

(x, y) =

i
se

i (kx x + ky y)
e

s = sgn (E ) = arctan (ky kx )

EF

kx
ky
k

20

kx

outline

1) Introduction
2) Electron optics in graphene
3) Transmission across NP junctions
4) Conductance of PN and NN junctions
5) Discussion
6) Summary

21

a graphene PN junction
N-type

E (x)

P-type

x = F
E

x = + F

x = + F

kx

ENP (x)

EF 1
kx
x
y

parallel to k

ky

ky
kx

anti-parallel to k
kx

group velocity and wavevector

E (x)

1 E
k
k
=
g=

( )
F
k
k
group velocity parallel to k

kx
group velocity parallel to -k

1 E
k
= F
g ( k ) =
k
k

ky

23

what happens for parabolic bands?

E (k )
conduction band

k x
g ( kx ) = + *
m

g ( k )=

kx
valence band

k x
g ( kx ) = *
m

ky

24

1
k E ( k )

optics
Snells Law

kr

1
1

ki

n1 n2

1
1

r = i

n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2

kt

group velocity parallel to

wavevector

n1 n2
25

electron trajectories in graphene PN junctions

rays in geometrical optics are analogous to semiclassical electron trajectories

kr

ki

1) ky is conserved

kt

1
1

kyi = kyr = kyt

x
2) Energy is conserved

N-type P-type

Fe =

Ei = Er = Et

d k

( ) = qE
dt

26

on the N-side
y

kr

ki

1
1

E F = F k F

kt

kyi = kF sin 1 = kyi = kF sin 1

1 = 1

N-type P-type

i
r
k=
k=
k yt
y
y

angle of incidence =
angle of reflection

Ei = Er = EF

27

a symmetrical PN junction
N-type

E (x)

P-type

x = F
E

x = + F

x = + F
kx

EF

ENP (x)

kF =

1
kx

EF ENP ( x )
F

x
One choice for ky,
but two choices
for kx.

Symmetrical junction:

EF ENP (0 ) = ENP (L) EF

qVJ = 2 EF ENP (0 )
28

kFi = kFt

wavevectors
y

kr
1

1) transverse momentum (ky) is

conserved

1
ki
N-type

P-type

2
kt

2) transmitted electron must have a

positive x velocity

ky

ky

k =k =k
i
y

r
y

t
y

kxi = kxr = kxt

The sign of the tangential
k-vector (ky) stays the
same, and the normal
component (kx) inverts.

kx

kx

parallel to k

29

anti-parallel to k

wavevectors and velocities

y

kr
1

2
1
ki
N-type P-type
kt

2
1
i
N-type P-type
t

kxi = kxr = kxt

1 = 1

kyi = kyr = kyt

2 = 1
x

n1 sin 1 = n2 sin 2
n1 = n2
negative index of refraction

more generally

1) y-component of
momentum
conserved
2) energy conserved

2
1
t

i
N-type P-type

1 = 1
1 sin 1 = 2 sin 2

( = EF ENP )

critical angle for total internal reflection

C = sin 1 ( 2 1 )
31

(1 > 2 )

reflection and transmission

2
1
t

i
N-type P-type
We know the direction of the reflected and transmitted rays,
but what are their magnitudes?

32

outline

1) Introduction
2) Electron optics in graphene
3) Transmission across NP junctions
4) Conductance of PN and NN junctions
5) Discussion
6) Summary

33

reflection and transmission

R( i ) r

kr
1

2
1
N-type P-type
ki
kt

1) incident wave:

1 i (kx x + ky y)
i (x, y) = i e
se

T ( i ) t

3) transmitted wave:

1 i ( kx x + ky y)
(x, y) = t i e
se

2) reflected wave:

1 i ( kx x + ky y)
r (x, y) = r i e
34
se

s = sgn (E ) = arctan (ky kx )

transmission: abrupt, symmetrical NP junction

ky

incident

kx
T ( i ) = cos 2 i
transmitted

30
1.00
90

60

perfect transmission for = 0

ky

kx

conductance of abrupt NN and NP junctions

T ( i ) = cos 2 i

This transmission reduces the conductance of NP junctions

compared to NN junctions, but not nearly enough to explain
experimental observations.

a graded, symmetrical PN junction

The Fermi level passes through the neutral point in the transition region of an NP
junction. This does not occur in an NN or PP junction, and we will see that this
lowers the conductance of an NP junction.
N-type

P-type

E (x)

E
E

x = + F
1

EF

kx

ENP (x)

1
kx
x

d
37

treat each ray (mode) separately

y

ki

ky = kF sin

2
2
2
=
E

k
+
k
sin

x
F
x
F

E
kx = 0

E = k F F sin

kx

ky
E = k F F sin

EG = 2 F k F sin
38

for each ky (transverse mode)

band to band tunneling (BTBT)
N-type

P-type

E (x)

E
E

x = + F
1

EF

kx

ENP (x)

1
kx
x

39

EG = 2 F k F sin

NEGF simulation

40

T. Low, et al., IEEE TED, 56,

1292, 2009

propagation across a symmetrical NP junction

kx2 < 0

E
E

E (x)

ENP (x) = 1

kx > 0
E

EF

kx

1
ENP (x) = 1

kx

kx < 0

kx

=
( x ) F k x2 + k y2

=
( x ) F k x2 + k F2 sin 2

d
x
41

=
k x2 ( x )

( ( x ) F ) kF2 sin 2
2

WKB tunneling

( ( x ) F ) kF2 sin 2

k x2 ( x )

: eikx x

x
(
)

For any finite angle, there will a

region in the junction where kx is
imaginary evanescent

+l

2 i

T : e

T e

Slowly varying potential

no reflections.

kx (x)dx

T ( ) e kF d sin

For normal incidence, kx is real

perfect transmission

EG2 ( 2 q FE

EG = 2 F k F sin

42

=
E

21 2 F k F
=
qd
qd

transmission vs. angle

T ( ) = cos2

T ( ) = e

More generally, to include the

reflections for abrupt junctions
(small d):

kF d sin 2

T : cos e
( )
2

30

90

60

43

kF d sin 2

outline

1) Introduction
2) Electron optics in graphene
3) Transmission across NP junctions
4) Conductance of PN and NN junctions
5) Discussion
6) Summary

44

graphene junctions: NN, NP, PP, PN

E (x)

EF > 0
N

qVJ > EF

kx

E
qVJ < 0

EF
kx

ENP = qVJ

N
qVJ < EF

EF < 0

two independent variables: 1) EF and 2) VJ

45

graphene junctions

qVJ > EF, right side N-type

EF > 0, left side N-type

EF

NP

NN

PP

PN
EF < 0, left side P-type

qVJ < EF, right side P-type

qVJ

46

qVJ = EF

conductance of graphene junctions

G=

2q2

M (EF )

GW=

2q2 1

h W

min (M1 , M 2 )

M 2 < M1

E (x)

E
E

kx

EF
kx

ENP = qVJ
x

i) EF > 0, qVJ < EF NP

47

conductance vs. EF and VJ

E (x) EF = 0.3

EPN = 0.6
E (x)

EPN = qVJ
x

x
EF

48

T. Low, et al., IEEE TED, 56,

1292, 2009

measured transport across a tunable barrier

EF

B. Huard, J. A. Sulpizio, N. Stander, K. Todd, B. Yang, and D. Goldhaber-Gordon, Transport

Measurements Across a Tunable Potential Barrier in Graphene, Phys. Rev. Lett., 98, 236803,
2007.

experimental resistance

B. Huard, J. A. Sulpizio, N. Stander, K. Todd, B. Yang, and D. Goldhaber-Gordon, Transport

Measurements Across a Tunable Potential Barrier in Graphene, Phys. Rev. Lett., 98, 236803,
2007.

NEGF simulation of abrupt junctions

GPN < GNN

GPN

E (x) EF = 0.3

51

GNN

EPN = qVJ
x

T. Low, et al., IEEE TED, 56,

1292, 2009

conductance of abrupt graphene junctions

GNN
EF = 0.3
N-type

GNP =

2q
h

GPN

N-type

P-type

2
3

GNP = GNN

T (k )
y

ky

k
k
T ( ) = cos 2 = x = 1 y
k
k
F

GNP

EF = 0.3

2 2q2
W=
M (EF )
3 h

GNP < GNN

52

GNN W =

N + -type

2q2

M (EF )

conductance of graded graphene junctions

EF = 0.3

EF = 0.3
N-type

GNP =

2q2

N-type

T (ky )
GNN W =

ky

T ( ) = e kF d sin = e
2

GNP = GNN

GNP << GNN

P-type

kF d ky kF

N + -type

2q2

M (EF )

kF d

kF d >> 1 F << d
53

T. Low, et al., IEEE TED, 56,

1292, 2009

outline

1) Introduction
2) Electron optics in graphene
3) Transmission across NP junctions
4) Conductance of PN and NN junctions
5) Discussion
6) Summary

54

conductance vs. gate voltage measurements

either N-type or P-type
depending on the back
gate voltage
graphene
SiO2

either N-type or P-type

depending on the
metal workfunction

L
Back gate
(doped Si)

VG
VG

B. Huard, N. Stander, J.A. Sulpizo, and D.

Goldhaber-Gordon, Evidence of the role of
contacts on the observed electron-hole
55in graphene, Pbys. Rev. B., 78,
asymmetry
121402(R), 2008.

outline

1) Introduction
2) Electron optics in graphene
3) Transmission across NP junctions
4) Conductance of PN and NN junctions
5) Discussion
6) Summary

56

conclusions
1) For abrupt graphene PN junctions transmission is
reduced due to wavefunction mismatch.
2) For graded junctions, tunneling reduces transmission
and sharply focuses it.
3) Normal incident rays transmit perfectly
4) The conductance of a graphene PN junction can be
considerably less than that of an NN junction.
5) Graphene PN junctions may affect measurements and
may be useful for focusing and guiding electrons.
57

questions

58