Aspects of the theory of graphene

Abstract

Following a brief review of the device-friendly features of graphene, recent work on its Green's functions with and without a normal magnetic field are discussed, for an infinite graphene sheet and also for a quantum dot, with analyses of the Landau-quantized energy spectra of the sheet and dot. The random phase approximation dielectric response of graphene is reviewed and discussed in connection with the van der Waals interactions of a graphene sheet with atoms/molecules and with a second graphene sheet in a double layer. Energy-loss spectroscopy for a graphene sheet subject to both parallel and perpendicular particle probes of its dynamic, non-local response properties are also treated. Furthermore, we discuss recent work on the coupling of a graphene plasmon and a surface plasmon, yielding a collective plasma mode that is linear in wavenumber. Finally, we discuss the unusual aspects of graphene conduction and recent work on diffusive charge transport in graphene, in both the DC and AC regimes. © 2010 The Royal Society.