Magnetotransport in a strain superlattice of graphene

Three-dimensional (3D) deformation of two-dimensional materials offers a route toward band structure engineering. In the case of graphene, a spatially nonuniform deformation and strain are known to generate an effective magnetic field, i.e., a pseudomagnetic field, although experimental realization of this effect in electronic devices has been challenging. We demonstrate how controllable, device-compatible strain patterns in graphene can be engineered by depositing graphene onto closely packed nanospheres. The 3D deformation profile creates a strain superlattice, for which we study the magnetotransport behavior both experimentally and via quantum transport simulations. We observe a weakening of superlattice features as we increase the magnetic field, which we find to be consistent with competing interactions between the external magnetic field and the strain-induced pseudomagnetic field. Our results demonstrate that strain superlattices are promising platforms to modulate the band structure and engineer the electronic transport.