Anomalous thermopower oscillations in graphene-InAs nanowire vertical heterostructures

TL;DR

This study reveals unexpected large oscillations in thermoelectric voltage in graphene-InAs nanowire heterostructures, linked to modifications in the density of states, with implications for understanding low-dimensional thermoelectric phenomena.

Contribution

It demonstrates anomalous thermoelectric oscillations in monolayer graphene heterostructures caused by density of states modifications, using a novel local heating method.

Findings

Large oscillations in thermoelectric voltage near the Dirac point in MLG-NW heterostructures.

Sign change of thermoelectric voltage around the Dirac point in bilayer graphene heterostructures.

Observation of Landau level formation affecting the density of states under magnetic field.

Abstract

Thermoelectric measurements have the potential to uncover the density of states of low-dimensional materials. Here, we present the anomalous thermoelectric behaviour of mono-layer graphene-nanowire (NW) heterostructures, showing large oscillations as a function of doping concentration. Our devices consist of InAs NW and graphene vertical heterostructures, which are electrically isolated by thin ($\sim$ 10nm) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layers. In contrast to conventional thermoelectric measurements, where a heater is placed on one side of a sample, we use the InAs NW (diameter $\sim 50$ nm) as a local heater placed in the middle of the graphene channel. We measure the thermoelectric voltage induced in graphene due to Joule heating in the NW as a function of temperature (1.5K - 50K) and carrier concentration. The thermoelectric voltage in bilayer graphene (BLG)- NW heterostructures shows sign change around the Dirac point, as predicted by Mott's formula. In contrast, the thermoelectric voltage measured across monolayer graphene (MLG)-NW heterostructures shows anomalous large-amplitude oscillations around the Dirac point, not seen in the Mott response derived from the electrical conductivity measured on the same device. The anomalous oscillations are a signature of the modified density of states in MLG by the electrostatic potential of the NW, which is much weaker in the NW-BLG devices. Thermal calculations of the heterostructure stack show that the temperature gradient is dominant in the graphene region underneath the NW, and thus sensitive to the modified density of states resulting in anomalous oscillations in the thermoelectric voltage. Furthermore, with the application of a magnetic field, we detect modifications in the density of states due to the formation of Landau levels in both MLG and BLG.