Signature of multilayer graphene strain-controlled domain walls in quantum Hall effect

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the in-situ, reversible tuning of topological domain walls in multilayer graphene using strain, revealing new quantum Hall plateaus and modulating electronic transport, with implications for future electronic devices.

Contribution

It introduces a method to reversibly control topological defects in multilayer graphene via strain, observed through quantum Hall effect measurements.

Findings

Reversible strain induces new quantum Hall plateaus.

Controlled strain modulates electronic transport across the device.

Theoretical calculations support experimental observations.

Abstract

Domain walls, topological defects that define the frontier between regions of different stacking in multilayer graphene, have proved to host exciting physics. The ability of tuning these topological defects in-situ in an electronic transport experiment brings a wealth of possibilities in terms of fundamental understanding of domain walls as well as for electronic applications. Here, we demonstrate through a MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) actuator and magnetoresistance measurements the effect of domain walls in multilayer graphene quantum Hall effect. Reversible and controlled uniaxial strain triggers these topological defects, manifested as new quantum Hall effect plateaus as well as a discrete and reversible modulation of the current across the device. Our findings are supported by theoretical calculations and constitute the first indication of the in-situ tuning of topological defects in multilayer graphene probed through electronic transport, opening the way to the use of reversible topological defects in electronic applications.