Strain engineered graphene using a nanostructured substrate: II Pseudo-magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper investigates how nanostructured substrates induce strong pseudo-magnetic fields in supported graphene through atomistic simulations, revealing controllable magnetic confinement and the impact of deformation symmetry.

Contribution

It provides a theoretical framework for designing magnetic structures in graphene via substrate nanostructuring, demonstrating the ability to generate and control pseudo-magnetic fields up to 1000 T.

Findings

Pseudo-magnetic fields up to ~1000 T can be induced.

Different substrate patterns produce distinct magnetic confinements.

Radial deformation symmetry affects the pseudo-magnetic field symmetry.

Abstract

The strain induced pseudo-magnetic field in supported graphene deposited on top of a nanostructured substrate is investigated by using atomistic simulations. Step, elongated trench, one dimensional barrier, spherical bubbles, Gaussian bump and Gaussian depression are considered as support structures for graphene. From the obtained optimum configurations we found very strong induced pseudo-magnetic fields which can reach up to $\sim$ 1000\,T due to the strain-induced deformations in the supported graphene. Different magnetic confinements with controllable geometries are found by tuning the pattern of the substrate. The resulting induced magnetic fields for graphene on top of a step, barrier and trench are calculated. In contrast to the step and trench the middle part of graphene on top of a barrier has zero pseudo-magnetic field. This study provides a theoretical background for designing magnetic structures in graphene by nanostructuring substrates. We found that altering the radial symmetry of the deformation, changes the six-fold symmetry of the induced pseudo-magnetic field.