Imaging topological and correlated insulating states in twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene

Si-yu Li, Zhengwen Wang, Yucheng Xue, Yingbo Wang, Shihao Zhang, Jianpeng Liu, Zheng Zhu, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Hong-jun Gao, Yuhang Jiang () and Jinhai Mao ()
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Si-yu Li: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhengwen Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yucheng Xue: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yingbo Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shihao Zhang: ShanghaiTech University
Jianpeng Liu: ShanghaiTech University
Zheng Zhu: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kenji Watanabe: National Institute for Materials Science
Takashi Taniguchi: National Institute for Materials Science
Hong-jun Gao: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuhang Jiang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jinhai Mao: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Flat bands in Van der Waals heterostructure provide an ideal platform for unveiling emergent quantum electronic phases. One celebrated example is twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene, in which the effects of electronic correlation have been observed. Here, we report the observation via scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy of correlated insulating states in twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene, leading to the formation of an electron crystal phase. At integer fillings, the strong Coulomb interaction redistributes flat-band electrons within one moiré unit cell, producing an insulating state with vanishing density of states at the Fermi level. Moreover, our approach enables the direct visualization of an ordered lattice of topological torus-shaped states, generated by the interaction between the electron crystal and the non-trivial band topology of twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene. Our results illustrate an efficient strategy for entwining topological physics with strong electron correlation in twisted van der Waals structures.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31851-x

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