Current-voltage characteristics of graphene devices: Interplay between Zener-Klein tunneling and defects

Niels Vandecasteele (1) , Amelia Barreiro , Michele Lazzeri (1) , Adrian Bachtold , Francesco Mauri (1)

1 IPGP - Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris

We report a theoretical/experimental study of current-voltage characteristics (I-V) of graphene devices near the Dirac point. The I-V can be described by a power law ( I∝V^α with 1<α≤1.5 ). The exponent is higher when the mobility is lower. This superlinear I-V is interpreted in terms of the interplay between Zener-Klein transport, that is tunneling between different energy bands, and defect scattering. Surprisingly, the Zener-Klein tunneling is made visible by the presence of defects.

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

Niels Vandecasteele, Amelia Barreiro, Michele Lazzeri, Adrian Bachtold, Francesco Mauri. Current-voltage characteristics of graphene devices: Interplay between Zener-Klein tunneling and defects. Physical Review B, 2010, 82, ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.82.045416⟩. ⟨insu-03605308⟩