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Nanoscale Imaging of Magnetotransport around a Circular p−n Junction in Graphene

Zachary J. Krebs1,*, Wyatt A. Behn1,†, Keenan J. Smith1, Margaret A. Fortman1, Kenji Watanabe2, Takashi Taniguchi3, Pathak S. Parashar4, Michael M. Fogler4, and Victor W. Brar1,‡

  • *Also at Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
  • †Also at Department of Physics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
  • ‡Contact author: vbrar@wisc.edu

Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 136301 – Published 2 April, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/3ml4-gr6h

Abstract

Magnetoresistance studies of 2D systems are often shaped by the motion of electrons that occupy spatially confined wave functions, such as topological edge modes and disorder-induced bound states. Directly probing how such states form and behave in situ, under applied currents, provides a clear way of connecting microscopic physics to the macroscopic transport response. In this Letter, scanning tunneling potentiometry is used to probe the local, current-induced electrochemical potential of carriers in graphene near circular p−n junctions in an out-of-plane magnetic field ranging from 0 to 1.4 T. These measurements provide detailed information about the motion of carriers at the nanometer scale, revealing how it evolves with increasing field. The electrochemical potential displays distinct patterns, such as dipoles, spirals, and concentric disks in weak, moderate, and high fields, respectively. The size and orientation of these patterns can be used to understand how local carrier dynamics change in different transport regimes as well as to directly extract physical parameters such as the electron mean free path and cyclotron diameter.

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

synopsis

Nanoscale Imaging of Quantum Hall Currents

Published 2 April, 2026

Electrons in graphene follow various spiraling paths when they flow around a circular barrier under the influence of a magnetic field.

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