Transport properties of semi-Dirac

Recent theoretical works show the existence of a new type of dispersion relation in both $VO_2/TiO_2$ nanostructures\footnote{V. Pardo and W.E. Pickett, Phys.Rev. Let. 102, 166803 (2009)} and in stressed graphene \footnote{G. Montambaux \emph{et al.}, PRB 80, 153412 (2009)}, where the electrons confined in a plane show a non-relativistic behavior along one direction, and relativistic in the other. This semi-Dirac dispersion $E=\sqrt{(v_F p_x)^2+(p_y^2/2m)^2}$ can be observed in graphene when the Dirac cones of different valleys touch each other because of stress. When stress is increased, a gap is opened, and the graphene turns from a semi-metal to an insulator. We propose to adress this topological phase transition through transport measurements.