We determine the effect of quasiparticle interference on the spatial variations of the local density of states in graphite in the neighborhood of an isolated impurity. A number of characteristic behaviors of interference are identified in the Fourier transformed spectrum. A comparison between our results and scanning tunneling microscopy experiments could provide a critical test of the range (of energy) of applicability of the Fermi liquid description of graphite, where some evidence of the breakdown of Fermi liquid theory has recently been discussed. Moreover, given the similarity between the band structures of graphite and that of nodal quasiparticles in a $d$-wave superconductor, a comparison between results in the two materials may be useful for understanding the physics of the cuprates.

• Received 1 March 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.72.125432