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Electronic properties of graphene
open-in-new
<p><a href="/facts/Graphene/QDGUBaPt">Graphene</a> is a <a href="/facts/Semimetal/ELtXVlI5">semimetal</a> whose <a href="/facts/Conduction_band/2NUALlHJ">conduction</a> and <a href="/facts/Valence_bands/2NUALlHJ">valence bands</a> meet at the <a href="/facts/Dirac_cone/trIsvDRI">Dirac points</a>, which are six locations in <a href="/facts/Momentum_space/kxKPCeoI">momentum space</a>, the vertices of its hexagonal <a href="/facts/Brillouin_zone/V8unhAAl">Brillouin zone</a>, divided into two non-equivalent sets of three points. The two sets are labeled K and K′. The sets give graphene a valley degeneracy of <i>gv</i> = 2. By contrast, for traditional semiconductors the primary point of interest is generally Γ, where momentum is zero. Four electronic properties separate it from other <a href="/facts/Condensed_matter/EBVI5nmL">condensed matter</a> systems. </p>