Wavefunction textures in twisted bilayer graphene from first principles

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Zhu, Albert, Bennett, Daniel, Larson, Daniel T., Ezzi, Mohammed M. Al, Manousakis, Efstratios, Kaxiras, Efthimios
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Zhu, Albert
Bennett, Daniel
Larson, Daniel T.
Ezzi, Mohammed M. Al
Manousakis, Efstratios
Kaxiras, Efthimios
author_facet Zhu, Albert
Bennett, Daniel
Larson, Daniel T.
Ezzi, Mohammed M. Al
Manousakis, Efstratios
Kaxiras, Efthimios
contents Motivated by recent experiments probing the wavefunctions of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG), we perform large-scale first-principles calculations of tBLG with full atomic relaxation across a wide range of twist angles down to $0.99^\circ$. Focusing on the magic angle, we compute wavefunctions of the low energy bands, resolving atomic-scale details and moiré-scale patterns that form triangular, honeycomb, and Kagome lattices. By tuning the interlayer interactions, we illustrate the formation of the flat bands from isolated monolayers and the emergence of the band inversion and fragile topology at a sufficiently large interaction strength. We identify strong indicators of a new phase transition with increasing interlayer interaction strength, achievable with external pressure or a decrease in the twist angle. When this transition occurs, the upper and lower flat bands exchange their wavefunction character and symmetry eigenvalues, which may be correlated with the appearance of superconductivity with electron doping below the magic angle. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using first-principles wavefunctions to help interpret experimental signatures of topological and correlated phases in tBLG.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_03675
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Wavefunction textures in twisted bilayer graphene from first principles
Zhu, Albert
Bennett, Daniel
Larson, Daniel T.
Ezzi, Mohammed M. Al
Manousakis, Efstratios
Kaxiras, Efthimios
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
Motivated by recent experiments probing the wavefunctions of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG), we perform large-scale first-principles calculations of tBLG with full atomic relaxation across a wide range of twist angles down to $0.99^\circ$. Focusing on the magic angle, we compute wavefunctions of the low energy bands, resolving atomic-scale details and moiré-scale patterns that form triangular, honeycomb, and Kagome lattices. By tuning the interlayer interactions, we illustrate the formation of the flat bands from isolated monolayers and the emergence of the band inversion and fragile topology at a sufficiently large interaction strength. We identify strong indicators of a new phase transition with increasing interlayer interaction strength, achievable with external pressure or a decrease in the twist angle. When this transition occurs, the upper and lower flat bands exchange their wavefunction character and symmetry eigenvalues, which may be correlated with the appearance of superconductivity with electron doping below the magic angle. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using first-principles wavefunctions to help interpret experimental signatures of topological and correlated phases in tBLG.
title Wavefunction textures in twisted bilayer graphene from first principles
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.03675