Pseudomagnetic Gauge Field-Based Waveguides using Graphene

The Scaling on-chip interconnects pose unprecedented challenges as node technology advances. Interconnect materials such as copper, when used at smaller sizes, have greater effective resistivity, so they dissipate more heat. Graphene, a quantum material with high thermal conductivity, mobility, and elasticity, is an ideal material for interconnects. The zero-band gap and zero backscattering for normal incidence in graphene limit its ability to exhibit strong confinement for waveguide operationality. Here, we are proposing a way for localizing carriers in graphene by generating a powerful on-chip magnetic field. In graphene, applied non-uniform strain produces strong pseudo potential and pseudo magnetic gauge fields attributed to the change in bond length. The strain profiles in which the curl of the pseudo vector potential is non-zero produce a Pseudo magnetic field (PMF). The PMF forms the pseudo–Landau Levels and increases the local density of states in the deformed region [1]. A wave-guided medium is created according to the strain profile by localizing the carriers within the deformed region [2]. We showed the confinement of carriers (in a nm scale) and the effect gets stronger with increasing strain value. The maximum value of strain considered is under the elastic limit. The waveguide shape can be tuned by varying strain profiles. The proposed graphene waveguide is robust against defects and impurities. The numerical simulation of graphene waveguides was based on the Tight binding method and scattering matrix approach.<br/>References<br/><br/>References<br/><br/>1. Guinea, et al. <i>Nature Physics 6.1 (2010): 30-33</i><br/><i>2. Wu, Yong, et al</i>, <i>Nano letters 18.1 (2018): 64-69.</i>