Surface states in zigzag and armchair graphene nanoribbons

Abstract

This paper presents electronic spectra of zigzag and armchair graphene nanoribbons calculated within the tight-binding model for pi-electrons. Zigzag and armchair nanoribbons of different edge geometries are considered, with surface perturbation taken into account. The properties of surface states are discussed on the basis of their classification into Tamm states and Shockley states. In armchair nanoribbons surface states are shown to close the energy gap at the Dirac point for certain edge geometries.