Localization and electron-electron interactions in few-layer epitaxial graphene.

This paper presents a study of the quantum corrections caused by electron-electron interactions and localization to the conductivity in few-layer epitaxial graphene, in which the carriers responsible for transport are massive. The results demonstrate that the diffusive model, which can generally provide good insights into the magnetotransport of two-dimensional systems in conventional semiconductor structures, is applicable to few-layer epitaxial graphene when the unique properties of graphene on the substrate, such as intervalley scattering, are taken into account. It is suggested that magnetic-field-dependent electron-electron interactions and Kondo physics are required for obtaining a thorough understanding of magnetotransport in few-layer epitaxial graphene.

Current Scaling and Dirac Fermion Heating in Multi-Layer Graphene.

We have performed transport measurements on a multi-layer graphene device fabricated by conventional mechanical exfoliation. By using the zero-field resistance of our graphene device as a self-thermometer, we are able to determine the effective Dirac fermion temperature TDF at various driving currents I while keeping the lattice constant fixed. Interesting, it is found that TDF is proportional to Ia where a ~ 1. According to theoretical and experimental studies, the exponent a is given by 2/(2+p) where the charge-phonon scattering rate 1/τph is proportional to TP. Therefore our results yield p ~ 0, suggesting that there is little Dirac fermion-phonon scattering, a great advantage for applications in nanoelectronics.

Dirac fermion heating, current scaling, and direct insulator-quantum Hall transition in multilayer epitaxial graphene.

We have performed magnetotransport measurements on multilayer epitaxial graphene. By increasing the driving current I through our graphene devices while keeping the bath temperature fixed, we are able to study Dirac fermion heating and current scaling in such devices. Using zero-field resistivity as a self thermometer, we are able to determine the effective Dirac fermion temperature (TDF) at various driving currents. At zero field, it is found that TDF ∝ I≈1/2. Such results are consistent with electron heating in conventional two-dimensional systems in the plateau-plateau transition regime. With increasing magnetic field B, we observe an I-independent point in the measured longitudinal resistivity ρxx which is equivalent to the direct insulator-quantum Hall (I-QH) transition characterized by a temperature-independent point in ρxx. Together with recent experimental evidence for direct I-QH transition, our new data suggest that such a transition is a universal effect in graphene, albeit further studies are required to obtain a thorough understanding of such an effect.