Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of ultra-narrow NbSe2 nanoribbons

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of ultra-narrow NbSe2 nanoribbons with different chirality and edge structures are studied by using density functional theory calculations. Armchair-like NbSe2 nanoribbons exhibit nonmagnetic and metal behavior. Zigzag-like NbSe2 nanoribbons always have ferromagnetic ground states with electronic types ranging from semiconductor, metal, even to half-metal. And stability estimation indicates that the zigzag-like NbSe2 nanoribbons with 50% Se passivation at Nb edges are the most energetically stable. All these findings suggest potential applications of NbSe2 nanoribbons in spintronic devices.