Hydrodynamic Model for Conductivity in Graphene

TL;DR

This paper introduces an analytical hydrodynamic model for graphene's conductivity, capturing its dependence on carrier density and impurity effects, aligning well with experimental observations.

Contribution

It presents a novel fluid dynamics-based approach to model graphene conductivity, incorporating impurity effects and minimum conductivity phenomena.

Findings

Model accurately predicts conductivity as a function of impurity fraction.

Excellent agreement with experimental data across various electric field strengths.

Supports the ideal relativistic fluid picture of electrons at the Dirac point.

Abstract

Based on the recently developed picture of an electronic ideal relativistic fluid at the Dirac point, we present an analytical model for the conductivity in graphene that is able to describe the linear dependence on the carrier density and the existence of a minimum conductivity. The model treats impurities as submerged rigid obstacles, forming a disordered medium through which graphene electrons flow, in close analogy with classical fluid dynamics. To describe the minimum conductivity, we take into account the additional carrier density induced by the impurities in the sample. The model, which predicts the conductivity as a function of the impurity fraction of the sample, is supported by extensive simulations for different values of ${\cal E}$, the dimensionless strength of the electric field, and provides excellent agreement with experimental data.