2013 Annual Fall Meeting of the APS Prairie Section
Volume 58, Number 15
Thursday–Saturday, November 7–9, 2013;
Columbia, Missouri
Session H2: Condensed Matter Physics IV
8:30 AM–10:06 AM,
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Physics Building
Room: 126
Chair: Carseten Ullrich, University of Missouri
Abstract ID: BAPS.2013.PSF.H2.1
Abstract: H2.00001 : A look at graphene's atomistic geometry and electronic properties from the perspective of discrete differential geometry
8:30 AM–9:06 AM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
Salvador Barraza-Lopez
(University of Arkansas)
A host of amazing properties of graphene originate from \textit{geometry}. A prime example
being actively pursued nowadays is the creation of gauge fields on
graphene's conduction electrons, solely from mechanical strain [1-5]. This
perspective is remarkable: Indeed, from an applied point of view, and just
as an example, strain can help furnish large (pseudo-)magnetic fields, in
excess of the $\sim$100 Tesla limit reached so far in
state-of-the-art facilities [4]. From a fundamental perspective, graphene is
a medium for discussion of (effective) relativistic Dirac-fermion Physics,
so curved membranes make it necessary to uncover and revise our
understanding of the Physics of Dirac fermions on curved spaces [2].
The theory (References [1-3] and a larger host of work) has been expressed
in terms of an effective continuum media.
Since graphene is an atomic membrane, our group is realizing a complementary
and unique route [6-9] to study the relations among Dirac electrons and
graphene's geometry, by applying concepts of Discrete Differential Geometry
[10] to graphene. Essentially, the idea is to build the theory for
electronic properties up from unit cells and atoms, so that the atomistic
conformation is never lost, and no continuum limit is to be applied. The
insight gained from this new perspective enters into basic checks of theory
[1-3], the furnishing of electronic `mass,' [7] and other geometrical
aspects [9]. An extensive discussion of this approach and salient results
will be given on this talk.
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[1] H. Suzuura and T. Ando, Phys. Rev. B 65, 235412 (2002); V. M. Pereira
and A. H. Castro-Neto, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 046801 (2009).
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[2] M. A. H. Vozmediano, M. I. Katsnelson, and F. Guinea, Phys. Rep. 496,
109 (2010).
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[3] F. Guinea, M. I. Katsnelson, and A. K. Geim, Nature Physics 6, 30
(2010).
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[4] N. Levy et al. Science 329, 544 (2010)
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[5] K. K. Gomes, W. Mar, W. Ko, F. Guinea, and H. C. Manoharan, Nature 483,
306 (2012).
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[6] J. V. Sloan et al., Phys. Rev. B 87, 155436 (2013).
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[7] S. Barraza-Lopez et al., Solid State Comm 166, 70 (2013).
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[8] J. V. Sloan, A. A. Pacheco Sanjuan, Z. Wang, C. M. Horvath, and SBL.
MRS Online Proceedings Library. Volume 1549 (2013).
doi:10.1557/opl.2013.1030.
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[9] A. A. Pacheco-Sanjuan et al, Submitted on July 11, 2013.
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[10] A. I. Bobenko, P. Schroder, J. M. Sullivan, and G. M. Ziegler, eds.,
``Discrete Differential Geometry.'' vol. 38 of Oberwolfach Seminars
(Springer, 2008), 1st ed.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2013.PSF.H2.1