Electric current generation in distorted graphene

Abstract

Graphene-like materials can be effectively described by quantum electrodynamics in (2+1) dimensions, QED3. In a pristine state, these systems exhibit a symmetry between the nonequivalent Dirac points in the honeycomb lattice. Realistic samples which include distortions and crystalline anisotropies are considered through mass gaps of topological and dynamical nature. In this work, we show that the incorporation of an in-plane uniform external magnetic field on this pseudochiral asymmetric configuration generates a nondissipative electric current aligned with the magnetic field: The pseudochiral magnetic effect (PCME). This scenario resembles the chiral magnetic effect in quantum chromodynamics (QCD).