High-field and high-temperature magnetoresistance reveals the superconducting behavior of the stacking faults in multilayer graphene

In spite of 40 years of experimental studies and several theoretical proposals, an overall interpretation of the complex behavior of the magnetoresistance (MR) of multilayer graphene, i.e. graphite, at high fields (B & LE; 70 T) and in a broad temperature range is still lacking. Part of the complexity is due to the contribution of stacking faults (SFs), which most of thick enough multilayer graphene samples have. We propose a procedure that allows us to extract the SF contribution to the MR we have measured at 0.48 K & LE; T & LE; 250 K and 0 T & LE; B & LE; 65 T. We found that the MR behavior of part of the SFs is similar to that of granular superconductors with a superconducting critical temperature Tc- 350 K, in agreement with recent publications. The measurements were done on a multilayer graphene TEM lamella, contacting the edges of the two-dimensional SFs.

Automated summary

Despite decades of experimental studies and theoretical proposals, there is still a lack of overall interpretation for the complex behavior of magnetoresistance in multilayer graphene at high fields and broad temperature range. Stacking faults (SFs) contribute to the complexity in most thick enough multilayer graphene samples. A procedure is proposed to extract the SF contribution to the magnetoresistance measured at various temperatures and magnetic fields. The magnetoresistance behavior of some SFs resembles that of granular superconductors with a critical temperature of approximately 350 K, consistent with recent publications. The measurements were conducted on a multilayer graphene TEM lamella, contacting the edges of the two-dimensional SFs.