Electron dynamics in graphene with spin-orbit couplings and periodic potentials

Seshadri, Ranjani and Sen, Diptiman (2017) Electron dynamics in graphene with spin-orbit couplings and periodic potentials. In: JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-CONDENSED MATTER, 29 (15).

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Abstract

We use both continuum and lattice models to study the energy-momentum dispersion and the dynamics of a wave packet for an electron moving in graphene in the presence of spin-orbit couplings and either a single potential barrier or a periodic array of potential barriers. Both Kane-Mele and Rashba spin-orbit couplings are considered. A number of special things occur when the Kane-Mele and Rashba couplings are equal in magnitude. In the absence of a potential, the dispersion then consists of both massless Dirac and massive Dirac states. A periodic potential is known to generate additional Dirac points; we show that spin-orbit couplings generally open gaps at all those points, but if the two spin-orbit couplings are equal, some of the Dirac points remain gapless. We show that the massless and massive states respond differently to a potential barrier; the massless states transmit perfectly through the barrier at normal incidence while the massive states reflect from it. In the presence of a single potential barrier, we show that there are states localized along the barrier. Finally, we study the time evolution of a wave packet in the presence of a periodic potential. We discover special points in momentum space where there is almost no spreading of a wave packet; there are six such points in graphene when the spin-orbit couplings are absent.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-CONDENSED MATTER
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the IOP PUBLISHING LTD, TEMPLE CIRCUS, TEMPLE WAY, BRISTOL BS1 6BE, ENGLAND
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Centre for High Energy Physics
Date Deposited:	26 Apr 2017 07:23
Last Modified:	26 Apr 2017 07:23
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/56632

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