Commensurate-incommensurate phase transition and a network of domain walls in bilayer graphene with a biaxially stretched layer

Abstract

The two-chain Frenkel-Kontorova model is applied for an analytical description of the energy and structure of the network of domain walls in bilayer graphene. Using this approach, the commensurate-incommensurate phase transition upon biaxial stretching of one of the graphene layers is considered. We demonstrate that formation of the equilateral triangular network of domain walls becomes energetically favorable above the critical relative biaxial elongation of the bottom layer of $3.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. It is shown that the optimal period of the triangular network of domain walls is inversely proportional to the difference between the biaxial elongation of the bottom layer and the critical elongation as long as it is much greater than the width of domain walls. Quantitative estimates of the contribution of a single dislocation node to the system energy and the period of the network of domain walls are obtained. Experimental measurements of the period could help to verify the energy of the fully incommensurate state (such as that obtained by relative rotation of the layers) with respect to the commensurate one.