The effects of spin-filter and negative differential resistance on Fe-substituted zigzag graphene nanoribbons

•The spin-dependent electronic transport properties on Fe-substituted ZGNRs.•The distribution of the electronic spin states of ZGNRs can be modulated by the substituted Fe.•The effects of spin-filter and negative differential resistance can be observed.

Using the first-principle calculations, we investigate the spin-dependent transport properties of Fe-substituted zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs). The substituted ZGNRs with single or double Fe atoms, distributing symmetrically or asymmetrically on both edges, are considered. Our results show Fe-substitution can significantly change electronic transport of ZGNRs, and the spin-filter effect and negative differential resistance (NDR) can be observed. We propose that the distribution of the electronic spin-states of ZGNRs can be modulated by the substituted Fe and results in the spin-polarization, and meanwhile the change of the delocalization of the frontier molecular orbitals at different bias may be responsible for the NDR behavior.