Topological aspects of quantum spin Hall effect in graphene: Z2_2 topological order and spin Chern number

For generic time-reversal invariant systems with spin-orbit couplings, we clarify a close relationship between the Z$_2$ topological order and the spin Chern number proposed by Kane and Mele and by Sheng {\it et al.}, respectively, in the quantum spin Hall effect. It turns out that a global gauge transformation connects different spin Chern numbers (even integers) modulo 4, which implies that the spin Chern number and the Z$_2$ topological order yield the same classification. We present a method of computing spin Chern numbers and demonstrate it in single and double plane of graphene.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Band engineering in graphene with superlattices of substitutional defects

We investigate graphene superlattices of nitrogen and boron substitutional defects and by using symmetry arguments and electronic structure calculations we show how such superlattices can be used to modify graphene band structure. Specifically, depending on the superlattice symmetry, the structures considered here can either preserve the Dirac cones (D_{6h} superlattices) or open a band gap (D_{3h}). Relevant band parameters (carriers effective masses, group velocities and gaps, when present) are found to depend on the superlattice constant n as 1/n^{p} where p is in the range 1-2, depending on the case considered. Overall, the results presented here show how one can tune the graphene band structure to a great extent by modifying few superlattice parameters.Comment: accepted, J. Phys. Chem.