Dynamic polarization of graphene by moving external charges: random phase approximation

Abstract

We evaluate the stopping and image forces on a charged particle moving parallel to a doped sheet of graphene by using the dielectric response formalism for graphene's $\pi$-electron bands in the random phase approximation (RPA). The forces are presented as functions of the particle speed and the particle distance for a broad range of charge-carrier densities in graphene. A detailed comparison with the results from a kinetic equation model reveal the importance of inter-band single-particle excitations in the RPA model for high particle speeds. We also consider the effects of a finite gap between graphene and a supporting substrate, as well as the effects of a finite damping rate that is included through the use of Mermin's procedure. The damping rate is estimated from a tentative comparison of the Mermin loss function with a HREELS experiment. In the limit of low particle speeds, several analytical results are obtained for the friction coefficient that show an intricate relationship between the charge-carrier density, the damping rate, and the particle distance, which may be relevant to surface processes and electrochemistry involving graphene.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.