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Imaging small angle twisted bilayer graphene aligned with hexagonal Boron Nitride

ORAL

Abstract

Magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) hosts low energy eight-fold degenerate flat bands, whose quenched kinetic energy facilitates interaction-driven instabilities as the Fermi energy is swept through the band. Breaking the sublattice symmetry of the MATBG by aligning its crystallographic axis with that of a hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) substrate creates a staggered potential which lifts the sublattice degeneracy and opens gaps that reveal sub-bands with non-trivial topology and orbital magnetism. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS) on MATBG aligned with hBN, we observe a network of moiré solitons where the hBN and MATBG crystals are perfectly commensurate. STS maps of this system reveal a strong reconstructed local density of states within each moiré cell, which together with its magnetic field dependence sheds light on the nature of the broken symmetry phases in this system.

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Presenters

  • Xinyuan Lai

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Authors

  • Xinyuan Lai

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick

  • Nikhil Tilak

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick

  • Jinhai Mao

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, School of physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Yuhang Jiang

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick

  • Kenji Watanabe

    National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, National Institure for Materials Science, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, NIMS, National Institute of Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science,1-1 Namiki, National Institute of Material Science, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, NIMS, National Institute of Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institude for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials, NIMS - Japan, National Institute for Materials Science ,Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Ibaraki, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, National Institute for Material Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science Japan, NIMS Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, Research Center for Functional Materials, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science: Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JP, National Institue for Material Science, National Institute for Materials Science,1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, Materials, NIMS, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National In, Research Center for Functional Materials, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, International Center for Materials nanoarchtectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, NIMS Suguba, NIMS, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Ibaraki, Japan, National institute of material science, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, NIMS, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Ibaraki, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute of Material Science, Japan, Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyoto University, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, Materials, NIMS, International Center for Materials Anorthite, National Institute for Materials Science, Ibaraki, Japan, Kyoto University

  • Francisco Guinea

    Imdea Nanoscience, Imdea Nanoscience, Donostia International Physics Center, IMDEA-Nanociencia, IMDEA Nanociencia, Donostia International Physics Center

  • Eva Andrei

    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ