Correlated Insulator Behaviour at Half-Filling in Magic Angle Graphene Superlattices

Correlated Insulator Behaviour at Half-Filling in Magic Angle Graphene Superlattices

2 Feb 2018 | Yuan Cao, Valla Fatemi, Ahmet Demir, Shiang Fang, Spencer L. Tomarken, Jason Y. Luo, J. D. Sanchez-Yamagishi, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, E. Kaxiras, R.C. Ashoori, P. Jarillo-Herrero
The study investigates the correlated electronic behavior of twisted bilayer graphene (TwBLG) at half-filling, focusing on the magic angle where the twist angle is close to the theoretically predicted optimal value. At this angle, the moiré superlattice formed by the misalignment of the two graphene layers creates a flat band structure near charge neutrality. This flat band structure leads to a strongly correlated electronic system, exhibiting insulating phases at zero magnetic field. These insulating phases are identified as Mott-like insulators, arising from electrons localized in the moiré superlattice. The unique properties of magic-angle TwBLG open up new avenues for studying exotic many-body quantum phases, such as unconventional superconductors or quantum spin liquids, due to the easy tunability of the flat bands and their bandwidth through twist angle. The experimental results are supported by theoretical calculations and numerical simulations, providing insights into the physics of strongly correlated systems.The study investigates the correlated electronic behavior of twisted bilayer graphene (TwBLG) at half-filling, focusing on the magic angle where the twist angle is close to the theoretically predicted optimal value. At this angle, the moiré superlattice formed by the misalignment of the two graphene layers creates a flat band structure near charge neutrality. This flat band structure leads to a strongly correlated electronic system, exhibiting insulating phases at zero magnetic field. These insulating phases are identified as Mott-like insulators, arising from electrons localized in the moiré superlattice. The unique properties of magic-angle TwBLG open up new avenues for studying exotic many-body quantum phases, such as unconventional superconductors or quantum spin liquids, due to the easy tunability of the flat bands and their bandwidth through twist angle. The experimental results are supported by theoretical calculations and numerical simulations, providing insights into the physics of strongly correlated systems.
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