Polarization superlattices for controlling the electronic structure in graphene/h-BN multilayers

Moiré superlattice systems based on twisted heterostructures of two-dimensional materials represent an emerging design principle for realizing novel physical phenomena. Motivated by the recent discovery of polarization superlattices in twisted multilayers of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) [1-3], we investigate the possibility of using these systems for controlling the properties of multilayer graphene by means of the polarization proximity effect. In particular, by using first-principles and tight-binding model calculations, we address the possibility of creating flat bands in the multilayer graphene subsystem. We further discuss the effects of lattice relaxation in graphene/h-BN heterostructures.

[1] Woods et al., Nat. Comm. 12, 347 (2021),

[2] Yasuda et al., Science 372, 1458–1462 (2021),

[3] Vizner Stern et al., Science 372, 1462-1466 (2021).