  The heating of electrons in graphene by laser irradiation, and its effects on
the lattice structure, are studied. Values for the temperature of the electron
system in realistic situations are obtained. For sufficiently high electron
temperatures, the occupancy of the states in the $\sigma$ band of graphene is
modified. The strength of the carbon-carbon bonds changes, leading to the
emergence of strains, and to buckling in suspended samples. While most
applications of `strain engineering' in two dimensional materials focus on the
effects of strains on electronic properties, the effect studied here leads to
alterations of the structure induced by light. This novel optomechanical
coupling can induce deflections in the order of $\sim 50$ nm in micron size
samples.

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;Materials Science