Within a tight-binding approach we show that around the $K$ point of the energy spectrum Dirac fermions are present in $AB$ stacked graphene multilayers if they have mirror plane symmetry. In other words, Dirac fermions are present in graphene stacks with an odd number of layers. For an even number of stacked graphene layers, only normal fermions with a parabolic energy dispersion are found near the $K$ point.

• Received 5 February 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.75.193402