Massive Dirac fermions in single-layer graphene

TL;DR

This paper explores potential many-body interactions that could induce a finite energy gap in graphene's Dirac fermion spectrum, emphasizing Coulomb and electron-phonon interactions and comparing findings with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical analysis of pairing instabilities in graphene driven by Coulomb and electron-phonon interactions, aligning with recent experimental observations.

Findings

Finite gap can arise from many-body effects in graphene.

Coulomb and electron-phonon interactions can induce pairing instabilities.

Results agree with experimental and Monte Carlo data.

Abstract

Motivated by the results of recent photoemission and tunneling studies, we discuss potential many-body sources of a finite gap in the Dirac fermion spectrum of graphene. Specifically, we focus on the putative Peierls- and Cooper-like pairing instabilities which can be driven by sufficiently strong Coulomb and electron-phonon interactions, respectively. Our results compare favorably with the available experimental and Monte Carlo data.