Hydrodynamic theory of transport in Dirac and Weyl semimetals

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:16080046,
            doi = {10.48660/16080046},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/16080046},
            author = {Lucas, Andrew},
            keywords = {Condensed Matter, Quantum Fields and Strings},
            language = {en},
            title = {Hydrodynamic theory of transport in Dirac and Weyl semimetals},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2016},
            month = {aug},
            note = {PIRSA:16080046 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

I will discuss recent progress in understanding the consequences of hydrodynamic electron flow on measurable transport properties of metals, focusing on metals where the electrons behave as a charge neutral relativistic plasma. In graphene, I will connect our theoretical models with experimental data and show how we can explain features of transport in graphene that are inconsistent with quasiparticle transport. I will then discuss the extension of these results to Weyl semimetals, which are modeled by a system of multiple chiral fluids. Negative magnetoresistance can occur in both electric and thermal transport; the latter is a consequence of a distinct axial-gravitational anomaly. Future transport experiments on Weyl semimetals can discover this exotic type of anomaly in the lab.