Topological frequency conversion in rhombohedral multilayer graphene

Abstract

We show that rhombohedral multilayer graphene supports topological frequency conversion, whereby a fraction of electrons transfer energy between two monochromatic light sources at a quantized rate. The pristine nature and gate tunability of these materials, along with a Berry curvature that directly couples to electric fields, make them ideal platforms for the experimental realization of topological frequency conversion. Among the rhombohedral family, we find that Bernal bilayer graphene appears most promising for THz-scale applications due to lower dissipation. We discuss strategies to circumvent cancellations between the two valleys of graphene and to minimize dissipative losses using commensurate frequencies, thus opening a potential pathway for net amplification.