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Nanoscale Lattice Dynamics in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Moiré Superlattices

ORAL

Abstract

Twisted two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures have unlocked a new means for manipulating the properties of quantum materials.  The resulting mesoscopic moiré superlattices are accessible to a wide variety of scanning probes.  To date, spatially-resolved techniques have prioritized electronic structure visualization, with lattice response experiments only in their infancy.  Here, we therefore investigate lattice dynamics in twisted layers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), formed by a minute twist angle between two hBN monolayers assembled on a graphite substrate.  Nano-infrared (nano-IR) spectroscopy reveals systematic variations of the in-plane optical phonon frequencies amongst the triangular domains and domain walls in the hBN moiré superlattices.  Our first-principles calculations unveil a local and stacking-dependent interaction with the underlying graphite, prompting symmetry-breaking between the otherwise identical neighboring moiré domains of twisted hBN.

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Publication: Moore, S. L., Ciccarino, C. J., Halbertal, D, … Narang, P, Basov, D. N. (2021). Nanoscale Lattice Dynamics in Hexagonal Boron Nitride Moiré Superlattices. Nature Communications.

Presenters

  • Samuel Moore

    Columbia University

Authors

  • Samuel Moore

    Columbia University

  • Christopher J Ciccarino

    Harvard University

  • Dorri Halbertal

    Columbia University, Columbia Univ

  • Leo J McGilly

    Columbia Univ

  • Nathan R Finney

    Columbia University, Columbia Univ

  • Kaiyuan Yao

    Columbia University

  • Yinming Shao

    Columbia Univ, Columbia University

  • Guangxin Ni

    Florida State University

  • Aaron Sternbach

    Columbia University

  • Evan J Telford

    Columbia University, Columbia Univ

  • Brian S Kim

    Columbia University

  • Sebastian E Rossi

    Columbia Univ

  • Kenji Watanabe

    National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, NIMS, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan., Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Advanced, Materials Laboratory, NIMS, 3 National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science; 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science (Japan), National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, National Institute of Material Sciences, Japan, NIMS, Tsukuba, 2National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1-1, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., National Institute of Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science Japan, NIMS, Japan, nims, National Institute for Materials Science, Research Center for Functional Materials, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, National Institute for Materials Science of Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, NIMS - National Institute for Material Science, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Material Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0044, Japan., National Institute for Material Science, Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), National Institute for Materials Science, Research Center for Functional Materials, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute of Material Science, Kyoto Univ, National Institute for Materials Science,1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, NIMS, Kyoto Univ, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., 3 National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science; 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science (Japan), International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, Kyoto University, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for MaterialsScience, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, National Institute of Material Sciences, Japan, NIMS, Tsukuba, 2National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1-1, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., National Institute of Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., NIMS, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), NIMS. Japan, International Center for Material Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, International Center for Material Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, National Institute for Materials Science of Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, NIMS - National Institute for Material Science, Japan, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Material Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., National Institute for Material Science, Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute of Material Science, National Institute for Materials Science,1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan

  • Abhay N Pasupathy

    Columbia University, Brookhaven National Laboratory & Columbia University

  • Cory R Dean

    Columbia University, Columbia Univ

  • James C Hone

    Columbia University

  • P J Schuck

    Columbia University, Columbia Univ

  • Prineha Narang

    Harvard University

  • Dmitri N Basov

    Columbia University