Dynamical current-current correlation of the hexagonal lattice and graphene

Abstract: We discuss the dynamical current-current correlation function of the hexagonal lattice using a local current operator defined on a continuum-replica model of the original lattice model. In the Dirac approximation, the correlation function can be decomposed into a parallel and perpendicular contribution. We show that this is not possible for the hexagonal lattice even in the Dirac regime. A comparison between the analytical isotropic solution and the numerical results for the honeycomb lattice is given.