Manipulating graphene kinks through positive and negative radiation pressure effects

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how monochromatic waves can control the movement of kinks in buckled graphene, showing attraction or repulsion depending on wave parameters, thus enabling nanoscale motion control.

Contribution

It provides the first molecular dynamics simulation evidence of negative radiation pressure effects in graphene, linking classical field theory concepts to nanoscale material behavior.

Findings

Kinks in buckled graphene can be attracted or repelled by waves.

Wave frequency, amplitude, and direction influence kink motion.

Potential for nanoscale motion control applications.

Abstract

We introduce an idea of experimental verification of the counterintuitive negative radiation pressure effect in some classical field theories by means of buckled graphene. In this effect, a monochromatic plane wave interacting with topological solutions pulls these solutions towards the source of radiation. Using extensive molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the traveling wave-induced motion of kinks in buckled graphene nanoribbons. It is shown that depending on the driving source frequency, amplitude and direction, the kink behavior varies from attraction to repulsion (the negative and positive radiation pressure effects, respectively). Some preliminary explanations are proposed based on the analogy to certain field theory models. Our findings open the way to a new approach to motion control on the nanoscale.