Seminário de Matéria Condensada - 04/02/2015, 11:00, Sala de reuniões do 1P

The ability to control the flow of charge through nanoscale devices is one of the perennial driving forces and goals of research towards devices of smaller dimensions or with new functionalities. The intrinsic two-dimensionality of graphene, with its extraordinary electronic and mechanical properties, opens several new possibilities; in particular electrons respond to lattice deformations as they would to a real magnetic field. Consequently, the ability to manipulate the strain distribution in graphene opens the enticing prospect of strain-engineering its electronic properties. Using molecular dynamics, continuum mechanics and tight-binding methods We assess the quantum transport characteristics of graphene bubbles, Corbino disks and optimized geometry devices under pressure. Our results show that transport properties such as conductance quantization and current flow can be modified by strain. Furthermore, we observe confinement of electrons by the pseudo-magnetic field as well as electronic transport by snake sates.