Visualizing Strain-induced Pseudo magnetic Fields in Graphene through an hBN Magnifying Glass

The remarkable properties of graphene are inherent to its 2D honeycomb lattice structure. Its low dimensionality, which makes it possible to rearrange the atoms by applying an external force, offers the intriguing prospect of mechanically controlling the electronic properties. In the presence of strain, graphene develops a pseudo-magnetic field (PMF) which reconstructs the band structure into pseudo Landau levels (PLLs). However, a feasible route to realizing, characterizing and controlling PMFs is still lacking. Here we report on a method to generate and characterize PMFs in a graphene membrane supported on nano-pillars. A direct measure of the local strain is achieved by using the magnifying effect of the Moiré pattern formed against a hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) substrate under scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We quantify the strain induced PMF through the PLLs spectra observed in scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). This work provides a pathway to strain induced engineering and electro-mechanical graphene based devices.