How to detect a genuine quantum pump effect in graphene?

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method using strain to distinguish genuine quantum pump effects from rectification in graphene, addressing the lack of experimental evidence for quantum pumping in this material.

Contribution

It introduces a symmetry-based approach to differentiate between pumped and rectified currents in graphene under strain, enabling clearer experimental detection.

Findings

Symmetry differences in currents reveal genuine quantum pumping

Strain can suppress rectification effects in graphene

Method enhances experimental identification of quantum pumps

Abstract

Quantum pumping in graphene has been predicted in recent years. Till date there have been no experiments indicating a graphene based quantum pump. This is not uncommon as in case of other non-Dirac behavior showing materials it has not yet been unambiguously experimentally detected. The reason being that in experiments with such materials the rectification effect overshadows the pumped current. In this work we answer the question posed in the title by taking recourse to "strain". We show that the symmetries of the rectified and pumped currents towards strain reversal can effectively distinguish between the two.