Strain-induced pseudomagnetic and scalar fields in symmetry-enforced Dirac nodes

TL;DR

This paper explores how strain affects Dirac nodes in materials with specific symmetries, revealing how pseudomagnetic and scalar fields can be induced and used to control electronic properties.

Contribution

It provides a systematic analysis of strain-induced potentials in symmetry-enforced Dirac nodes, detailing their dependence on strain tensors and identifying cases with pseudomagnetic fields.

Findings

Pseudomagnetic fields are present in all but two symmetry cases.

Strain-induced potentials depend systematically on the strain tensor.

Pseudomagnetic fields can be utilized to control valley currents.

Abstract

It is known that Dirac nodes can be present at high-symmetry points of Brillouin zone only for certain space groups. For these cases, the effect of strain is treated by symmetry considerations. The dependence of strain-induced potentials on the strain tensor is found. In all but two cases, the pseudomagnetic field potential is present. It can be used to control valley currents.