Unveiling the magnetic structure of graphene nanoribbons.

We perform magnetotransport measurements in lithographically patterned graphene nanoribbons down to a 70 nm width. The electronic spectrum fragments into an unusual Landau levels pattern, characteristic of Dirac fermion confinement. The two-terminal magnetoresistance reveals the onset of magnetoelectronic subbands, edge currents and quantized Hall conductance. We bring evidence that the magnetic confinement at the edges unveils the valley degeneracy lifting originating from the electronic confinement. Quantum simulations suggest some disorder threshold at the origin of mixing between chiral magnetic edge states and disappearance of quantum Hall effect.
(© 2011 American Physical Society)