Wiedemann-Franz law in graphene

We analyze a well-known experimental work [J. Crossno et al., Science 351, 1058 (2016)] which reported on the failure of the Wiedemann-Franz law in graphene at T -10-100 K, attributing this failure to the non-Fermi liquid nature of the Dirac fluid associated with undoped intrinsic graphene. In spite of serious theoretical efforts, the reported observations remain unexplained. Our detailed quantitative analysis based on Fermi liquid considerations, which apply to extrinsic doped graphene, establishes that one possible explanation for the reported observations is the opening of a gap at the Dirac point, induced perhaps by the boron nitride substrate. We suggest that more experiments are necessary to resolve the issue, and we believe that the experiment may not actually have anything to do with Dirac fluid hydrodynamics but relates to finite-temperature low-density bipolar diffusive transport by electrons and holes in the presence of short-and long-range disorder, and phonons.

Automated summary

We analyze an experimental work which shows the failure of the Wiedemann-Franz law in graphene at low temperatures, attributing this failure to the non-Fermi liquid nature of the Dirac fluid. Despite theoretical efforts, the observations remain unexplained. Our analysis suggests that the opening of a gap at the Dirac point induced by the substrate may explain the results. Further experiments are needed to resolve the issue and determine the role of electron and hole transport in the presence of disorder and phonons.