Both orbital diamagnetic and Pauli paramagnetic contributions to the magnet
ic response in ribbon-shaped nanographite systems with zigzag and armchair
edges an discussed. These systems possess edge states, strongly localized n
ear zigzag edges. The edge states lead to a sharp peak in the density of st
ates at the Fermi level and generate a Pauli spin susceptibility with a nea
rly Curie-like temperature dependence, In nanographite systems this paramag
netic contribution of the edge states can compete with the diamagnetic orbi
tal magnetic signal of the bulk. At high temperature the system is diamagne
tic and at low temperature the paramagnetic behavior dominates. (C) 2000 El
sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.