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Robust flat bands in twisted trilayer graphene moiré quasicrystals

Author

Listed:
  • Chen-Yue Hao

    (Beijing Normal University
    Ministry of Education)

  • Zhen Zhan

    (IMDEA Nanoscience)

  • Pierre A. Pantaleón

    (IMDEA Nanoscience)

  • Jia-Qi He

    (Beijing Normal University
    Ministry of Education)

  • Ya-Xin Zhao

    (Beijing Normal University
    Ministry of Education)

  • Kenji Watanabe

    (National Institute for Materials Science)

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    (National Institute for Materials Science)

  • Francisco Guinea

    (IMDEA Nanoscience
    Paseo Manuel de Lardizábal 4
    Basque Foundation for Science)

  • Lin He

    (Beijing Normal University
    Ministry of Education)

Abstract

Moiré structures formed by twisting three layers of graphene with two independent twist angles present an ideal platform for studying correlated quantum phenomena, as an infinite set of angle pairs is predicted to exhibit flat bands. Moreover, the two mutually incommensurate moiré patterns among the twisted trilayer graphene (TTG) can form highly tunable moiré quasicrystals. This enables us to extend correlated physics in periodic moiré crystals to quasiperiodic systems. However, direct local characterization of the structure of the moiré quasicrystals and of the resulting flat bands are still lacking, which is crucial to fundamental understanding and control of the correlated moiré physics. Here, we demonstrate the existence of flat bands in a series of TTGs with various twist angle pairs and show that the TTGs with different magic angle pairs are strikingly dissimilar in their atomic and electronic structures. The lattice relaxation and the interference between moiré patterns are highly dependent on the twist angles. Our direct spatial mappings, supported by theoretical calculations, reveal that the localization of the flat bands exhibits distinct symmetries in different regions of the moiré quasicrystals.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen-Yue Hao & Zhen Zhan & Pierre A. Pantaleón & Jia-Qi He & Ya-Xin Zhao & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Francisco Guinea & Lin He, 2024. "Robust flat bands in twisted trilayer graphene moiré quasicrystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-52784-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52784-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yuan Cao & Valla Fatemi & Ahmet Demir & Shiang Fang & Spencer L. Tomarken & Jason Y. Luo & Javier D. Sanchez-Yamagishi & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Efthimios Kaxiras & Ray C. Ashoori & Pablo, 2018. "Correlated insulator behaviour at half-filling in magic-angle graphene superlattices," Nature, Nature, vol. 556(7699), pages 80-84, April.
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