Random Gauge Field Scattering in Monolayer Graphene

Strain-induced lattice deformation affects electron hopping between the atoms. This effectively gives rise to a gauge field which impacts on the charge transport. In graphene, such gauge field is associated with a vector potential which mimics that of a magnetic field. Understanding the impact of the gauge field on charge transport is of essential importance for emerging topics including straintronics and valleytronics in two-dimensional materials. While extensive theoretical works have been carried out over the past decade, experimental progress has been largely limited to local probe and optical studies. Experimental charge transport study has been baffled by the challenge in creating an effective and independent tuning knob of strain without compromising the quality of graphene. Here we studied high quality suspended graphene field effect transistors fabricated on flexible Polyimide substrates. Applying uniaxial strain by bending the substrate, we observed a strain-induced resistivity with power-law carrier density dependence. The power factor is found to be correlated with the surface fractal dimension of the rippled graphene, in good agreement with the random gauge field scattering theory. Both phase coherent transport and magnetotransport properties are found to be strain-dependent, which can be understood in terms of a strain-tunable disorder.