Observation of current whirlpools in graphene at room temperature

Abstract

Electron–electron interactions in high-mobility conductors can give rise to transport signatures resembling those described by classical hydrodynamics. Using a nanoscale scanning magnetometer, we imaged a distinctive hydrodynamic transport pattern—stationary current vortices—in a monolayer graphene device at room temperature. By measuring devices with increasing characteristic size, we observed the disappearance of the current vortex and thus verified a prediction of the hydrodynamic model. We further observed that vortex flow is present for both hole- and electron-dominated transport regimes but disappears in the ambipolar regime. We attribute this effect to a reduction of the vorticity diffusion length near charge neutrality. Our work showcases the power of local imaging techniques for unveiling exotic mesoscopic transport phenomena.