Midgap states in corrugated graphene: Ab initio calculations and effective field theory

¹  I. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg - Jungiusstraße 9, D-20355 Hamburg, Germany, EU
²  Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory - Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
³  Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory - Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
⁴  Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA
⁵  Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University of Nijmegen Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands, EU

Corresponding author: twehling@physnet.uni-hamburg.de

Received: 24 June 2008
Accepted: 22 August 2008

Abstract

We investigate the electronic properties of corrugated graphene and show how rippling-induced pseudo-magnetic fields alter graphene's low-energy electronic properties by combining first-principle calculations with an effective field theory. The formation of flat bands near the Fermi level corresponding to pseudo-Landau levels is studied as a function of the rippling parameters. Quenched and relaxed ripples turn out to be fundamentally different is this respect: it is demonstrated, both numerically and analytically, that annealing of quenched ripples can destroy the flat bands.