# Switchable valley filter based on a graphene $p$-$n$ junction in a magnetic field

## TL;DR

This paper proposes a graphene $p$-$n$ junction device in a magnetic field that can generate, manipulate, and switch valley-polarized electron currents, advancing the field of valleytronics.

## Contribution

It introduces a method to control valley polarization in graphene using a tunable $p$-$n$ junction in a magnetic field, enabling switching and partitioning of valley currents.

## Key findings

- Switching between valley polarizations by tuning the $p$-$n$ junction.
- Partitioning of unpolarized current into valley-polarized branches.
- Control of branching ratio via gate position.

## Abstract

Low-energy excitations in graphene exhibit relativistic properties due to the linear dispersion relation close to the Dirac points in the first Brillouin zone. Two of the Dirac points located at opposite corners of the first Brillouin zone can be chosen as inequivalent, representing a new valley degree of freedom, in addition to the charge and spin of an electron. Using the valley degree of freedom to encode information has attracted significant interest, both theoretically and experimentally, and gave rise to the field of valleytronics. We study a graphene $p$-$n$ junction in a uniform out-of-plane magnetic field as a platform to generate and controllably manipulate the valley polarization of electrons. We show that by tuning the external potential giving rise to the $p$-$n$ junction we can switch the current from one valley polarization to the other. We also consider the effect of different types of edge terminations and present a setup, where we can partition an incoming valley-unpolarized current into two branches of valley-polarized currents. The branching ratio can be chosen by changing the location of the $p$-$n$ junction using a gate.