In this work we investigate theoretically the influence of a Fermi velocity modulation in the electronic and transport properties of magnetic graphene superlattices. We solve the effective Dirac equation for graphene with a position dependent vector potential and Fermi velocity and use the transfer matrix method to obtain the transmission coefficient for the finite cases and the dispersion relation for a periodic superlattice. Our results reveals that the Fermi velocity modulation can control the resonance peaks of the transmittance and also works as a switch, turning on/off the transmission through the magnetic barriers. The results obtained here can be used for the fabrication of graphene-based electronic devices.
The energy spectrum of planar polytype graphene-based superlattices has been investigated. It is shown that their energy spectrum undergoes pseudospin splitting due to the asymmetry of quantum wells forming the superlattice potential profile.
Ordered atomic-scale superlattices on surface hold great interest both for basic science and for potential applications in advanced technology. However, controlled fabrication of superlattices down to atomic scale has proven exceptionally challenging. Here we demonstrate the segregation-growth and self-organization of ordered S atomic superlattices confined at the interface between graphene and S-rich Cu substrates. Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) studies show that, by finely controlling the growth temperature, we obtain well-ordered S (sub)nanometer-cluster superlattice and monoatomic sup…
A continuum theory to describe periodic ripple formation in planar graphene/boron nitride superlattices is formulated. Due to the lattice mismatch between the two materials, it is shown that flat superlattices are unstable with respect to ripple formation of appropriate wavelengths. A competition between bending energy and transverse stretching energy gives rise to an optimal ripple wavelength that depends on the superlattice pitch. The optimal wavelengths predicted by the continuum theory are in good agreement with atomic scale total energy calculations previously reported in Nandwana and Ert…
Moiré superlattices in graphene supported on various substrates have opened a new avenue to engineer graphene's electronic properties. Yet, the exact crystallographic structure on which their band structure depends remains highly debated. In this scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory study, we have analysed graphene samples grown on multilayer graphene prepared onto SiC and on the close-packed surfaces of Re and Ir with ultra-high precision. We resolve small-angle twists and shears in graphene, and identify large unit cells comprising more than 1,000 carbon atoms and exhi…
Prompted by recent reports on $\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$ graphene superlattices with intrinsic inter-valley interactions, we perform first-principles calculations to investigate the electronic properties of periodically nitrogen-doped graphene and carbon nanotube nanostructures. In these structures, nitrogen atoms substitute one-sixth of the carbon atoms in the pristine hexagonal lattices with exact periodicity to form perfect $\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$ superlattices of graphene and carbon nanotubes. Multiple nanostructures of $\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$ graphene ribbons and carbon nanotubes ar…
Nanostructured superlattices are promising materials for novel electronic devices due to their adjustable physical properties. Periodic superlattices facilitate coherent phonon thermal transport due to constructive wave interference at the boundaries between the materials. However, it is possible to induce a crossover from coherent to incoherent transport regimes by adjusting the superlattice period. We have recently observed such crossover in periodic graphene-boron nitride nanoribbons as the length of individual domains was increased. In general, transport properties are dominated by transla…
We report the Raman spectroscopy of 12C/13C graphene isotope superlattices synthesized by chemical vapour deposition. At large periods the Raman spectra corresponds to the sum of the bulk 12C and 13C contributions. However, at small periods we observe the formation of mixed 12C/13C modes for Raman processes that involve two phonons, which results in the tripling of the 2D and 2D' Raman peaks. This tripling can be well understood in the framework of real space Raman spectroscopy, where the two emitted phonons stem from different regions of the superlattice. The intensity of the mixed peak incre…
The two inequivalent valleys in graphene preclude the protection against inter-valley scattering offered by an odd-number of Dirac cones characteristic of Z2 topological insulator phases. Here we propose a way to engineer a chiral single-valley metallic phase with quadratic crossover in a honeycomb lattice through tailored \sqrt{3}N *\sqrt{3}N or 3N *3N superlattices. The possibility of tuning valley-polarization via pseudo-Zeeman field and the emergence of Dresselhaus-type valley-orbit coupling are proposed in adatom decorated graphene superlattices. Such valley manipulation mechanisms and me…
Armchair graphene nanoribbons, when forming a superlattice, can be classified in different topological phases, with or without edge states. By means of tight-binding and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we studied the electronic and mechanical properties of some of these superlattices. MD shows that fracture in modulated superlattices is brittle, as for unmodulated ribbons, and that occurs at the thinner regions, with staggered superlattices achieving a larger fracture strain. We found a general mechanism to induce a topological transition with strain, related to the electronic p…
New Dirac points appear when periodic potentials are applied to graphene, and there are many interesting effects near these new Dirac points. Here we investigate the $\textit{Zitterbewegung}$ effect of fermions described by a Gaussian wave packet in graphene superlattice near new Dirac points. The $\textit{Zitterbewegung}$ near different Dirac points has similar characteristics, while Fermions near new Dirac points have different group velocities in both $x$- and $y$-direction, which causes the different properties of the $\textit{Zitterbewegung}$ near new Dirac points. We also investigate the…
Most studies on moiré superlattices formed from a stack of h-BN and graphene have focused on single layer graphene; graphene with multiple layers is less understood. Here, we show that a moiré superlattice of multilayer graphene shows new features arising from the anisotropic Fermi surface affected by the superlattice structure. The moiré superlattice of a h-BN/AB-stacked tetralayer graphene heterostructure exhibited resistivity peaks showing a complicated dependence on the perpendicular electric field. The peaks were not due to secondary Dirac cones forming, but rather opening of the energy g…
Symmetry-induced gap opening in graphene superlattices
我们研究了石墨烯中缺陷的nxn蜂窝超晶格。所考虑的缺陷是缺失的p_z轨道，可以通过在给定位置引入C原子空位或化学结合简单原子物种来实现。利用对称性论证，我们证明了当n= 3 m +1，3 m +2（m的整数）时如何可能打开一个能隙，并估计其值与缺陷浓度x=1/n^2的平方根近似相关。紧束缚计算证实了这些发现，并表明诱导能隙可以相当大，例如，x~10^{-3}时约为100 meV。对吸附在石墨烯上的H原子所形成的超晶格进行了修正的密度泛函理论计算，结果与紧束缚的结果吻合得很好，从而表明所提出的结构可以在实践中用于打开石墨烯中的间隙。
The electronic structure of a graphene superlattice composed by two periodic regions with different Fermi velocity, energy gap and electrostatic potential is investigated by using an effective Dirac-like Hamiltonian. It must be expected that the change of the Fermi velocity in one region of the graphene superlattice is equivalent to changing the width of this region keeping the Fermi velocity unchanged, provided that the time taken to charge carriers cross the region is the same. However, it is shown here that these two systems are not equivalent. We found extra Dirac points induced by the per…
The electronic properties of one-dimensional graphene superlattices strongly depend on the atomic size and orientation of the 1D external periodic potential. Using a tight-binding approach, we show that the armchair and zigzag directions in these superlattices have a different impact on the renormalization of the anisotropic velocity of the charge carriers. For symmetric potential barriers, the velocity perpendicular to the barrier is modified for the armchair direction while remaining unchanged in the zigzag case. For asymmetric barriers, the initial symmetry between the forward and backward …
We design a hybrid graphene/hexagonal boron nitride superlattice monolayer and investigate its thermoelectric properties using density functional theory and Boltzmann transport equations with the relaxation time accurately treated by electron-phonon coupling calculations. Compared with that of pristine graphene, the lattice thermal conductivity of the superlattice structure is more than two orders of magnitude lower due to the enhanced three-phonon scattering process originated from the mixed-bond characteristics. Besides, the coexistence of light and heavy bands around the Fermi level leads t…
We study the electronic and transport properties of a graphene-based superlattice theoretically by using an effective Dirac equation. The superlattice consists of a periodic potential applied on a single-layer graphene deposited on a substrate that opens an energy gap of $2Δ$ in its electronic structure. We find that extra Dirac points appear in the electronic band structure under certain conditions, so it is possible to close the gap between the conduction and valence minibands. We show that the energy gap $E_g$ can be tuned in the range $0\leq E_g \leq 2Δ$ by changing the periodic potential.…
The electronic properties of bilayer graphene strongly depend on relative orientation of the two atomic lattices. Whereas Bernal-stacked graphene is most commonly studied, a rotational mismatch between layers opens up a whole new field of rich physics, especially at small interlayer twist. Here we report on magnetotransport measurements on twisted graphene bilayers, prepared by folding of single layers. These reveal a strong dependence on the twist angle, which can be estimated by means of sample geometry. At small rotation, superlattices with a wavelength in the order of 10 nm arise and are o…
We investigate the electronic Bloch oscillation in bilayer graphene gradient superlattices using transfer matrix method. By introducing two kinds of gradient potentials of square barriers along electrons propagation direction, we find that Bloch oscillations up to terahertz can occur. Wannier-Stark ladders, as the counterpart of Bloch oscillation, are obtained as a series of equidistant transmission peaks, and the localization of the electronic wave function is also signature of Bloch oscillation. Forthermore, the period of Bloch oscillation decreases linearly with increasing gradient of barri…
We investigate the electronic band structure and transport properties of periodically alternating mono- and bi-layer graphene superlattices (MBLG SLs). In such MBLG SLs, there exists a zero-averaged wave vector (zero-$\overline{k}$) gap that is insensitive to the lattice constant. This zero-$\overline{k}$ gap can be controlled by changing both the ratio of the potential widths and the interlayer coupling coefficient of the bilayer graphene. We also show that there exist extra Dirac points; the conditions for these extra Dirac points are presented analytically. Lastly, we demonstrate that the e…
In two-dimensional (2D) twisted bilayers, the van der Waals (vdW) interlayer interaction introduces atomic-scale reconstruction at interface by locally rotating lattice to form strain-field vortex networks in their moiré superlattice. However, direct imaging the tiny local lattice rotation of the strain-field vortex requires extremely high spatial resolution and is an outstanding challenge in experiment. Here, a topmost small-period graphene moiré pattern is introduced to magnify sub-Angstrom distortions of the lattice and tiny local lattice rotation in underlying twisted bilayer graphene (TBG…
A graphene superlattice is formed by a one-dimensional periodic potential and is characterized by the emergence of new Dirac points in the electronic structure. The group velocity of graphene's massless Dirac fermions at the new points is drastically reduced, resulting in a measurable effect in the conductance spectroscopy. We show here that tunnel spectroscopy using a superconducting hybrid junction is more sensitive to the formation of Dirac points in the spectrum of graphene superlattices due to the additional contribution of Andreev processes. We examine the transport properties of a graph…
The specific rotational alignment of two-dimensional lattices results in a moiré superlattice with a larger period than the original lattices and allows one to engineer the electronic band structure of such materials. So far, transport signatures of such superlattices have been reported for graphene/hBN and graphene/graphene systems. Here we report moiré superlattices in fully hBN encapsulated graphene with both the top and the bottom hBN aligned to the graphene. In the graphene, two different moiré superlattices form with the top and the bottom hBN, respectively. The overlay of the two superl…
Ferroelectric hysteresis in singly aligned graphene-hBN moiré superlattices
CIC nanoGUNE（纳米科技联合研究中心）；University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)（巴斯克大学）；National Institute for Materials Science（物质材料研究机构）；Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM-MPC) Centro Mixto CSIC-UPV/EHU（物质物理中心（CFM-MPC）CSIC-巴斯克大学联合中心）
In this paper, we report on the controllable negative differential resistance (NDR) in a proposed planar graphene superlattice structure. High value of peak to valley ratio (PVR) is predicted. This is significant because of appearance of NDR with high PVR at low biases. Our finding is important since beside the other potential applications of the graphene, proposes implementation of the graphene based superlattice in electronic devices such as resonant tunneling diode and filters.
A scalable tight-binding model is applied for large-scale quantum transport calculations in clean graphene subject to electrostatic superlattice potentials, including two types of graphene superlattices: moiré patterns due to the stacking of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) lattices, and gate-controllable superlattices using a spatially modulated gate capacitance. In the case of graphene/hBN moiré superlattices, consistency between our transport simulation and experiment is satisfactory at zero and low magnetic field, but breaks down at high magnetic field due to the adopted simple m…
Van der Waals heterostructures of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride feature a moiré superlattice for graphene's Dirac electrons. Here, we review the effects generated by this superlattice, including a specific miniband structure featuring gaps and secondary Dirac points, and a fractal spectrum of magnetic minibands known as Hofstadter's butterfly.
We provide a critical discussion concerning the claim of topological valley currents, driven by a global Berry curvature and valley Hall effect proposed in recent literature. After pointing out a major inconsistency of the theoretical scenario proposed to interpret giant nonlocal resistance, we discuss various possible alternative explanations and open directions of research to solve the mystery of nonlocal transport in graphene superlattices.
In tight binding approximation the explicit form of the electron energy in graphene superlattice was derived. The possibility of propagation of the cnoidal waves in graphene superlattice was discussed. The direct current induced perpendicularly to the superlattice axis by cnoidal and sinusoidal electromagnetic waves under the presence of longitudinal constant electric field was calculated. Such direct current was shown to change its direction when the intensity of longitudinal electric field changes its absolute value.
We study a novel type of graphene-based superlattices formed owing to a periodic modulation of the Fermi surface. Such a modulation is possible for graphene deposited on a striped substrate made of materials with substantially different values of the dc permittivity. Similar superlattices appear also in graphene sheets applied over substrates with a periodic array of parallel grooves. We suggest a model describing such superlattices. Using the transfer-matrix technique, we determine the dispersion relation and calculate the energy spectrum of these superlattices. We also analyze at a qualitati…
An exact expression of the transmission probability through a finite graphene superlattice with an arbitrary number of potential barriers $n$ is derived in two cases of the periodic potential: rectangular electric potential and $δ$-function magnetic potential. Obtained transmission probabilities show two types of resonance energy: barrier-induced resonance energies unchanged as $n$ varies and well-induced resonance energies undergone the $(n - 1)$-fold splitting as $n$ increases. Supported by numerical calculations for various types of graphene superlattices, these analytical findings are assu…
We theoretically investigate gate-defined graphene superlattices with broken inversion symmetry as a platform for realizing tunable valley dependent transport. Our analysis is motivated by recent experiments [C. Forsythe et al., Nat. Nanotechnol. 13, 566 (2018)] wherein gate-tunable superlattice potentials have been induced on graphene by nanostructuring a dielectric in the graphene/patterneddielectric/gate structure. We demonstrate how the electronic tight-binding structure of the superlattice system resembles a gapped Dirac model with associated valley dependent transport using an unfolding …
A so-called artificial graphene is an artificial material whose low-energy carriers are described by the massless Dirac equation. Applying a periodic potential with triangular symmetry to a two-dimensional electron gas is one way to make such a material. According to recent experimental results, it is now possible to realize an artificial graphene in the lab and to even apply an additional lateral, one-dimensional periodic potential to it. We name the latter system an artificial graphene superlattice in order to distinguish it from a genuine graphene superlattice made from graphene. In this st…
We study the existence of edge modes in gapped Moiré superlattices in graphene monolayer ribbons. We find that the superlattice bands acquire finite Chern numbers, which lead to a Valley Hall Effect. The presence of dispersive edge modes is confirmed by calculations of the band structure of realistic nanoribbons using tight binding methods. These edge states are only weakly sensitive to disorder, as short-range scattering processes lead to mean free paths of the order of microns. The results explain the existence of edge currents when the chemical potential lies within the bulk superlattice ga…
Motivated by recent experimental findings on the low-energy spectrum of Kekulé-patterned graphene, the optoelectronic signatures of graphene superlattices with a spatial modulation that triples the size of the unit cell and folds the valleys to the center of the Brillouin zone are studied. For superlattices like those visualized in recent experiments, the optoelectronic response reveals multiple species of carriers distinguished by their effective masses or Fermi velocities. Their signatures are similar to those of systems hosting multifold fermions in which different frequency intervals are d…
We consider graphene superlattice miniband fermions probed by electronic interferometry in magneto-transport experiments. By decoding the observed Fabry-Pérot interference patterns together with our corresponding quantum transport simulations, we find that the Dirac quasiparticles originating from the superlattice minibands do not undergo conventional cyclotron motion but follow more subtle trajectories. In particular, dynamics at low magnetic fields is characterized by peculiar, straight trajectory segments. Our results provide new insights into superlattice miniband fermions and open up nove…
The hybridization of $σ$ and $π$ orbitals of carbon atoms in graphene depends on the surface curvature. Considering a single junction between flat and rippled graphene subsystems, it is found an accumulation of charge in the rippled subsystem due to Klein penetration phenomenon that gives rise to n-p junction. Using this fact, we show that the momentum distribution of electrons in ballisitically propagating beam can be selective without a waveguide, or external electric, and/or magnetic fields in graphene strip under experimentally feasible one-dimensional periodic potential. Such a potential …
