Negative local resistance caused by viscous electron backflow in graphene

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aad0201
• Publication Date: 2016-02-12T05:23:23Z
• Authors: D. A. Bandurin; I. Torre; R. Krishna Kumar; M. Ben Shalom; A. Tomadin; A. Principi; G. H. Auton; E. Khestanova; K. S. Novoselov; I. V. Grigorieva; L. A. Ponomarenko; A. K. Geim; M. Polini
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics; Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el); Theory of Condensed Matter; 500; FOS: Physical sciences; Correlated Electron Systems / High Field Magnet Laboratory (HFML); 530; ResearchInstitutes_Networks_Beacons/national_graphene_institute; name=National Graphene Institute; 3. Good health; Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons; 03 medical and health sciences; Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall); TEMPERATURE

Electrons that flow like a fluid

Electrons inside a conductor are often described as flowing in response to an electric field. This flow rarely resembles anything like the familiar flow of water through a pipe, but three groups describe counterexamples (see the Perspective by Zaanen). Moll et al. found that the viscosity of the electron fluid in thin wires of PdCoO 2 had a major effect on the flow, much like what happens in regular fluids. Bandurin et al. found evidence in graphene of electron whirlpools similar to those formed by viscous fluid flowing through a small opening. Finally, Crossno et al. observed a huge increase of thermal transport in graphene, a signature of so-called Dirac fluids.

Science , this issue p. 1061 , 1055 , 1058 ; see also p. 1026