Controlling the energy gap of graphene by Fermi velocity engineering

Abstract

The electronic structure of a single-layer graphene with a periodic Fermi velocity modulation is investigated by using an effective Dirac-like Hamiltonian. In a gapless graphene or in a graphene with a constant energy gap the modulation of the Fermi velocity, as expected, only changes the dispersion between energy and moment, turning the minibands narrower or less narrow than in the usual graphene depending on how the Fermi velocity is modulated and the energy gap remains the same. However, with a modulated energy gap it is possible to control the energy gap of graphene by Fermi velocity engineering. This is based on a very simple idea that has never been reported so far. The results obtained here reveal a new way of controlling the energy gap of graphene, which can be used in the fabrication of graphene-based devices.