arXiv subjects

Alina Mreńca-Kolasińska

Publications and source records attributed to Alina Mreńca-Kolasińska.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Quantum transport across normal-superlattice-normal graphene junctions: Fabry-Pérot interference, Hofstadter butterfly, and supersnake states

Electrostatic modulation of graphene provides a tunable route to engineering miniband structures. We perform quantum transport simulations on a gate-defined graphene superlattice junction, formed by confining a two-dimensional superlattice graphene (SGr) region between two normal graphene (NGr) regions. In the low-field regime at low carrier densities, robust Fabry-Pérot interference fringes emerge even in the unipolar regime due to Fermi-velocity renormalization in the SGr region. At stronger magnetic fields but only up to 3 T, the conductance map clearly reveals the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum. At intermediate fields, our finite-width transport simulations reveal a new type of snake state, the supersnake state, composed of alternating anomalous cyclotron arcs on the SGr side and conventional semicircular arcs on the NGr side, forming a weaving trajectory along the junction. The resulting conductance oscillations agree well with geometrical conditions derived from semiclassical cyclotron orbits. Our results demonstrate that gate-defined NGr-SGr-NGr junctions provide a versatile platform hosting multiple transport regimes within a single device architecture and can be generalized to other types of superlattices not restricted to graphene.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Probing the Potential Profile of Twisted Bilayer Graphene via Fabry-Pérot Interference

We use Fabry-Pérot interference to probe the internal potential profile of large-angle twisted bilayer graphene. We trace anomalous resistance oscillations in the nominally unipolar regime to a hidden cavity formed by unintentional local doping in our device. By analyzing zero-field interference patterns, we determine the location and size of this inhomogeneity. Magnetotransport measurements support the model, distinguishing local cavity modes from global resonances through their different magnetic dependence. Simulations using our extracted profile reproduce the experimental features. Our results highlight interference spectroscopy as a simple, non-invasive probe for identifying local defects and internal potential barriers in ballistic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Scalable tight-binding model for strained graphene

We generalize the scalable tight-binding model for graphene, which allows for efficient quantum transport simulations in the Dirac regime, to account for elastic strain. We show that the original scalable model with scaling factor $s$ is readily applicable to strained graphene, provided that the displacement fields corresponding to the deformed graphene lattice are properly scaled. In particular, we show that the long-wavelength theory remains invariant when the strain tensor is scaled by $s$. This is achieved in practice by scaling the in-plane displacement fields by $s$ while the out-of-plane displacements have to be scaled by $\sqrt{s}$. We confirm these scaling laws by extensive numerical simulations, starting with the pseudomagnetic field and the local density of states for different scaled lattices. The latter allows us to study pseudo-Landau levels as well as hybrid Landau levels in the presence of an external magnetic field. Finally, we consider quantum transport simulations motivated by a recent experiment, where a uniaxial strain barrier is engineered in monolayer graphene by vertically misaligned gates. Our work generalizes the scalable tight-binding model to allow for efficient modeling of quantum transport in large-scale strained graphene devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Pseudomagnetotransport in Strained Graphene

In graphene, long-wavelength deformations that result in elastic shear strain couple to the low-energy Dirac electrons as pseudogauge fields. Using a scalable tight-binding model, we consider analogs to magnetotransport in mesoscopic strained graphene devices with nearly uniform pseudomagnetic fields. In particular, we consider transverse pseudomagnetic focusing in a bent graphene ribbon and show that a focused valley-polarized current can be generated with characteristic conductance oscillations. Importantly, our scaling method allows for quantum transport calculations with realistic device geometries, and leaves the Dirac physics and pseudogauge fields invariant as long as the atomic displacements vary slowly with respect to the scaled lattice. Our results show that pseudomagnetotransport is a promising new route for graphene straintronics, and our scaling method provides a new framework for the modeling, design, and interpretation of straintronics experiments and applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Four-band effective square lattice model for Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene

Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene (BLG) provides an ideal basis for gate-controlled, and free of etching, electronic devices. Theoretical modeling of realistic devices is an essential part of research, however, simulations of large-scale BLG devices continue to be extremely challenging. Micrometer-sized systems are predominantly beyond the reach of the commonly used atomistic tight-binding method, while other numerical approaches based on the two dimensional Dirac equation are not straightforward to conduct due to the fermion doubling problem. Here we present an approach based on the continuum model, unharmed by the fermion doubling. The discretization of the BLG continuum Hamiltonian leads to an effective four-band model, with both valleys built-in. We demonstrate its performance with realistic, large-scale systems, and obtain results consistent with experiments and with the tight-binding model, over a broad range of magnetic field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Magnetotransport Signatures of the Radial Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling in Proximitized Graphene

Graphene-based van der Waals heterostructures take advantage of tailoring spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in the graphene layer by proximity effect. At long-wavelength -- saddled by the electronic states near the Dirac points -- the proximitized features can be effectively modelled by the Hamiltonian involving novel SOC terms and allow for an admixture of the tangential and radial spin textures -- by the so-called Rashba angle $θ_{\text{R}}$. Taking such effective models we perform realistic large-scale magneto-transport calculations -- transverse magnetic focusing and Dyakonov-Perel spin relaxation -- and show that there are unique qualitative and quantitative features allowing for an unbiased experimental disentanglement of the conventional Rashba SOC from its novel radial counterpart, called here the radial Rashba SOC. Along with that, we propose a scheme for a direct estimation of the Rashba angle by exploring the magneto-response symmetries when swapping an in-plane magnetic field. To complete the story, we analyze the magneto-transport signatures in the presence of an emergent Dresselhaus SOC and also provide some generic ramifications about possible scenarios of the radial superconducting diode effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Probing miniband structure and Hofstadter butterfly in gated graphene superlattices via magnetotransport

The presence of periodic modulation in graphene leads to a reconstruction of the band structure and formation of minibands. In an external uniform magnetic field, a fractal energy spectrum called Hofstadter butterfly is formed. Particularly interesting in this regard are superlattices with tunable modulation strength, such as electrostatically induced ones in graphene. We perform quantum transport modeling in gate-induced square two-dimensional superlattice in graphene and investigate the relation to the details of the band structure. At low magnetic field the dynamics of carriers reflects the semi-classical orbits which depend on the mini band structure. We theoretically model transverse magnetic focusing, a ballistic transport technique by means of which we investigate the minibands, their extent and carrier type. We find a good agreement between the focusing spectra and the mini band structures obtained from the continuum model, proving usefulness of this technique. %positions of van Hove singularities at high magnetic field the calculated four-probe resistance fit the Hofstadter butterfly spectrum obtained for our superlattice. Our quantum transport modeling provides an insight into the mini band structures, and can be applied to other superlattice geometries.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Manipulating electron waves in graphene using carbon nanotube gating

Graphene with its dispersion relation resembling that of photons offers ample opportunities for applications in electron optics. The spacial variation of carrier density by external gates can be used to create electron waveguides, in analogy to optical fiber, with additional confinement of the carriers in bipolar junctions leading to the formation of few transverse guiding modes. We show that waveguides created by gating graphene with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) allow obtaining sharp conductance plateaus, and propose applications in the Aharonov-Bohm and two-path interferometers, and a pointlike source for injection of carriers in graphene. Other applications can be extended to Bernal-stacked or twisted bilayer graphene or two-dimensional electron gas. Thanks to their versatility, CNT-induced waveguides open various possibilities for electron manipulation in graphene-based devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Effective Landé factors for an electrostatically defined quantum point contact in silicene

The transconductance and effective Landé $g^*$ factors for a quantum point contact defined in silicene by the electric field of a split gate is investigated. The strong spin-orbit coupling in buckled silicene reduces the $g^*$ factor for in-plane magnetic field from the nominal value 2 to around 1.2 for the first- to 0.45 for the third conduction subband. However, for perpendicular magnetic field we observe an enhancement of $g^*$ factors for the first subband to 5.8 in nanoribbon with zigzag and to 2.5 with armchair edge. The main contribution to the Zeeman splitting comes from the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling defined by the Kane-Mele form of interaction.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Fast evaluation of interaction integrals for confined systems with machine learning

The calculation of interaction integrals is a bottleneck for the treatment of many-body quantum systems due to its high numerical cost. We conduct configuration interaction calculations of the few-electron states confined in III-V semiconductor 2D structures using a shallow neural network to calculate the two-electron integrals, that can be used for general isotropic interaction potentials. This approach allows for a speed up of the evaluation of the energy levels and a controllable accuracy.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2020

Aharonov-Bohm oscillations of four-probe resistance in topological quantum rings in silicene and bilayer graphene

We consider observation of Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in clean systems based on the flow of topologically protected currents in silicene and bilayer graphene. The chiral channels in these materials are defined by the flips of the vertical electric field. The line of the flip confines chiral currents flowing along it in the direction determined by the valley. We present an electric field profile that forms a crossed ring to which four terminals can be attached, and find that the conductance matrix elements oscillate in the perpendicular magnetic field in spite of the absence of backscattering. We propose a four-probe resistance measurement setup, and demonstrate that the resistance oscillations have large visibility provided that the system is prepared in such a way that a direct transfer of the chiral carriers between the current probes is forbidden.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Optimizing Dirac fermions quasi-confinement by potential smoothness engineering

With the advent of high mobility encapsulated graphene devices, new electronic components ruled by Dirac fermions optics have been envisioned and realized. The main building blocks of electron-optics devices are gate-defined p-n junctions, which guide, transmit and refract graphene charge carriers, just like prisms and lenses in optics. The reflection and transmission are governed by the p-n junction smoothness, a parameter difficult to tune in conventional devices. Here we create p-n junctions in graphene, using the polarized tip of a scanning gate microscope, yielding Fabry-Pérot interference fringes in the device resistance. We control the p-n junctions smoothness using the tip-to-graphene distance, and show increased interference contrast using smoother potential barriers. Extensive tight-binding simulation reveal that smooth potential barriers induce a pronounced quasi-confinement of Dirac fermions below the tip, yielding enhanced interference contrast. On the opposite, sharp barriers are excellent Dirac fermions transmitters and lead to poorly contrasted interferences. Our work emphasizes the importance of junction smoothness for relativistic electron optics devices engineering.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Electron interferometry and quantum spin Hall phase in silicene

We discuss devices for detection of the topological insulator phase based on the two-path electron interference. For that purpose we consider buckled silicene for which a local energy gap can be opened by vertical electric field to close one of the paths and for which the quantum spin Hall insulator conditions are controlled by the Fermi energy. In quantum spin Hall phase the interference is absent due to the separation of the spin currents and the conductance of the devices include sharp features related to localized resonances. In the normal transport conditions the two-path interference produces a regular Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the external magnetic field.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Manipulating quantum Hall edge channels in graphene through Scanning Gate Microscopy

We show evidence of the backscattering of quantum Hall edge channels in a narrow graphene Hall bar, induced by the gating effect of the conducting tip of a Scanning Gate Microscope, which we can position with nanometer precision. We show full control over the edge channels and are able, due to the spatial variation of the tip potential, to separate co-propagating edge channels in the Hall bar, creating junctions between regions of different charge carrier density, that have not been observed in devices based on top- or split-gates. The solution of the corresponding quantum scattering problem is presented to substantiate these results, and possible follow-up experiments are discussed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Imaging backscattering in graphene quantum point contacts

We study graphene quantum point contacts (QPC) and imaging of the backscattering of the Fermi level wave function by potential introduced by a scanning probe. We consider both etched single-layer QPCs as well as the ones formed by bilayer patches deposited at the sides of the monolayer conducting channel using an atomistic tight binding approach. A computational method is developed to effectively simulate an infinite graphene plane outside the QPC using a computational box of a finite size. We demonstrate that in spite of the Klein phenomenon interference due to the backscattering at a circular n-p junction induced by the probe potential is visible in spatial maps of conductance as functions of the probe position.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Aharonov-Bohm interferometer based on n-p junction in graphene nanoribbons

We demonstrate that the phenomenon of current confinement along graphene n-p junctions at high magnetic fields can be used to form an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer. The interference system exploits a closed n-p junction that can be induced by a floating gate within the sample, and coupling of the junction currents with the edge currents in the quantum Hall regime. Operation of the device requires current splitting at the edge and the n-p junction contacts which is found for armchair ribbons at low Fermi energy.

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