Electronic Properties of Rhombohedral Graphite

This thesis investigates the electron transport properties of rhombohedral graphite (RG) films,which are a 3D generalization of graphene. It reveals that RG films can have up to 50 layers and behave as an N-layer generalization of graphene in the low energy limit. They also show a spontaneous metal-insulator transition and predict superconductivity in these low energy bands. RG films are a potential alternative to twisted bilayer graphene systems and exhibit parallel conduction of bulk states,reflecting bulk topology in three dimensions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 132 pages
Publication date: 27 October 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This thesis presents a comprehensive study of electron transport in rhombohedral graphite (RG) films, which lies at the intersection of graphene physics, van der Waals heterostructure devices, and topological matter. Due to the prevalence of the competing hexagonal phase, previous research on electron transport in the rhombohedral phase of graphite has been limited to a few layers of graphene. However, this work reveals that exfoliated natural graphite films contain rhombohedral domains of up to 50 layers. In the low-energy limit, these domains behave as an N-layer generalization of graphene, exhibiting similar electronic properties. Moreover, RG films exhibit a spontaneous metal-insulator transition, with characteristic symmetry properties that can be described by mean-field theory, which also predicts superconductivity in these low-energy bands. In the bulk limit, RG thin films are a 3D generalization of the simplest topological insulator model, the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chain. Similar to traditional topological insulators, RG films exhibit parallel conduction of bulk states, which undergo three-dimensional quantum transport that reflects the bulk topology.

This research significantly contributes to the understanding of electron transport in complex materials and has potential applications in various fields, including electronic devices, spintronics, and topological materials science. The discovery of rhombohedral domains in exfoliated natural graphite films opens up new avenues for exploring the electronic properties of graphene and other 2D materials. The spontaneous metal-insulator transition observed in RG films provides insights into the interplay between topology and electronic structure and may lead to the development of novel electronic devices with enhanced functionalities. Furthermore, the 3D nature of RG thin films allows for the exploration of topological phenomena in a more realistic and complex system, paving the way for the development of topological quantum computing and other applications.

In conclusion, this thesis presents a groundbreaking investigation of electron transport in rhombohedral graphite films, which has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of graphene physics, van der Waals heterostructure devices, and topological matter. The findings reported in this work have significant implications for the development of new electronic devices and materials with enhanced functionalities and may lead to breakthroughs in various fields of science and technology.

Weight: 238g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030883096
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021