Fine Structure Constant Defines Visual Transparency of Graphene
Open accessAbstract
There are few phenomena in condensed matter physics that are defined only by the fundamental constants and do not depend on material parameters. Examples are the resistivity quantum, h/e2 (h is Planck's constant and e the electron charge), that appears in a variety of transport experiments and the magnetic flux quantum, h/e, playing an important role in the physics of superconductivity. By and large, sophisticated facilities and special measurement conditions are required to observe any of these phenomena. We show that the opacity of suspended graphene is defined solely by the fine structure constant, a = e2/hc � 1/137 (where c is the speed of light), the parameter that describes coupling between light and relativistic electrons and that is traditionally associated with quantum electrodynamics rather than materials science. Despite being only one atom thick, graphene is found to absorb a significant (pa = 2.3%) fraction of incident white light, a consequence of graphene's unique electronic structure.
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In a 2D Dirac system like single layer graphene, the optical conductance for interband transitions is G1(ω)=e^2/ħ, giving a frequency independent transmission quantized in terms of the fine structure constant α as T(ω)=1-πα.
“This prediction is closely related to the prediction and observation in 2D Dirac system of single layer graphene that for interband transitions that its optical conductance should be G 1 ( ω ) = e 2 ℏ , giving a frequency independent transmission that is quantized in terms of the fine structure constant α as T ( ω ) = 1 -πα (Ando et al. , 2002; Kuzmenko et al. , 2008; Nair et al. , 2008).”
From Weyl and Dirac semimetals in three-dimensional solids (2018) · cites this paper as Nair et al. , 2008
The ‘Universal dynamic conductivity of graphene’ section (p. 3) supports transmission set approximately by 1−πα for single-layer graphene under the stated photon-energy conditions. But it gives the universal optical conductance as e²/(4ℏ), not e²/ℏ; the same section (p. 4) also notes small finite-energy corrections to the idealized frequency-independent value. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredEach layer of graphene can absorb ca. 2.3% of incident light.
“each layer of graphene can absorb ca. 2.3% of incident light. [ 123 ]”
From 2D Transition‐Metal‐Dichalcogenide‐Nanosheet‐Based Composites for Photocatalytic and Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reactions (2016) · cites this paper as [123]
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References 5 · Cited by 9,084
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- [5]K. S. Novoselov et al , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102 , 10451 (2005).
- [11]A. B. Kuzmenko et al , Phys. Rev. Lett. (2008) (see arXiv:0712.0835). · arXiv
- Authors
- Nair, R. R., Blake, P., Grigorenko, A. N., Novoselov, K. S., Booth, T. J., Stauber, T., Peres, N. M. R., & Geim, A. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Geim, A. K.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2008-06-06
- Volume
- 320
- Issue
- 5881
- Pages
- 1308-1308
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2123510746
- Cited by
- 9,084
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 212 · 2025: 354 · 2024: 412 · 2023: 474 · 2022: 547 · 2021: 649 · 2020: 650 · 2019: 708 · 2018: 684 · 2017: 708 · 2016: 728 · 2015: 670 · 2014: 648 · 2013: 535 · 2012: 440
- FWCI
- 112.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- arxiv.org
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/E051227/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Graphene research and applications
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › 2D Materials and Applications
- Keywords
- fine-structure constant, graphene, optical transparency, optical absorption, suspended graphene, fundamental physical constants, quantum electrodynamics, electronic structure, white light
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