Using the determinant quantum Monte-Carlo method, we elucidate the strain tuning of edge magnetism in zigzag graphene nanoribbons. Our intensive numerical results show that a relatively weak Coulomb interaction may induce a ferromagnetic-like behaviour with a proper strain, and the edge magnetism can be enhanced greatly as the strain along the zigzag edge increases, which provides another way to control graphene magnetism even at room temperature.

It have been demonstrated that the zigzag honeycomb nanoribbons exhibit an intriguing edge magnetism. Here the effect of the anisotropy on the edge magnetism in zigzag honeycomb nanoribbons is investigated by using two kinds of large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations. The anisotropy in zigzag honeycomb nanoribbons is characterized by the ratios of nearest-neighboring hopping integrals t1 in one direction and t2 in another direction. Considering the electron-electron correlation, it is shown that the edge ferromagnetism could be enhanced greatly as t2/|t1| increase from 1 to 3, which not only presenting the avenue for the control of this magnetism, but also being useful for exploring further novel magnetism in new nano-scale materials.