Title: Graphene at the nanoscale: Electronic, magnetic and optical properties

Abstract: Engineering graphene at the nanoscale introduces dramatic changes in the low energy spectrum due to broken sublattice symmetry: a tunable energy gap and magnetic zero-energy modes appear, making graphene nanostructures ideal candidates for nanoelectronic and spintronic applications. In this talk, I will review various sublattice engineered graphene nanostructures such as such as quantum dots and ribbons. Using computational tools such as meanfield Hubbard, exact diagonalization and quantum Monte Carlo methods, I will show that it is possible to manipulate electronic, magnetic and optical properties through size and edge engineering. I will then demonstrate that edge antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic phases of graphene nanoribbons can be tuned through defects or adatoms, and edge states can exhibit Wigner crystallization at low electronic densities accompagned by complex magnetic phases. **Refreshments will be served at 2:00 p.m. (BEFORE the seminar) in room ARC 233