Mapping the twist angle dependence of quasi-Brillouin zones in doubly aligned graphene/BN heterostructures

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Bustamante, Jorge Vallejo, Nguyen, Viet-Hung, Farrar, Liam S., Watanabe, Kenji, Taniguchi, Takashi, Mailly, Dominique, Charlier, Jean-Christophe, Ribeiro-Palau, Rebeca
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Bustamante, Jorge Vallejo
Nguyen, Viet-Hung
Farrar, Liam S.
Watanabe, Kenji
Taniguchi, Takashi
Mailly, Dominique
Charlier, Jean-Christophe
Ribeiro-Palau, Rebeca
author_facet Bustamante, Jorge Vallejo
Nguyen, Viet-Hung
Farrar, Liam S.
Watanabe, Kenji
Taniguchi, Takashi
Mailly, Dominique
Charlier, Jean-Christophe
Ribeiro-Palau, Rebeca
contents When monolayer graphene is crystallographically aligned to hexagonal boron nitride (BN), a moiré superlattice is formed, producing characteristic satellite Dirac peaks in the electronic band structure. Aligning a second BN layer to graphene creates two coexisting moiré patterns, which can interfere to produce periodic, quasi-periodic or non-periodic superlattices, depending on their relative alignment. Here, we investigate one of the simplest realizations of such a double-moiré structure, graphene encapsulated between two BN layers, using dynamically rotatable van der Waals heterostructures. Our setup allows \textit{in situ} control of the top BN alignment while keeping the bottom BN fixed. By systematically mapping the charge transport as a function of BN angular alignment, we identify the simultaneous signatures of the original moirés, super-moirés, and a third set of features corresponding to quasi-Brillouin zones (qBZ) formed when the system's periodicity becomes ill-defined. Comparing our measurements with theoretical models, we provide the first experimental mapping of the qBZs as a function of angular alignment. Our results establish a direct experimental link between moiré interference and qBZ formation, opening new avenues for engineering electronic structures in multi-aligned 2D heterostructures.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_19369
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Mapping the twist angle dependence of quasi-Brillouin zones in doubly aligned graphene/BN heterostructures
Bustamante, Jorge Vallejo
Nguyen, Viet-Hung
Farrar, Liam S.
Watanabe, Kenji
Taniguchi, Takashi
Mailly, Dominique
Charlier, Jean-Christophe
Ribeiro-Palau, Rebeca
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
When monolayer graphene is crystallographically aligned to hexagonal boron nitride (BN), a moiré superlattice is formed, producing characteristic satellite Dirac peaks in the electronic band structure. Aligning a second BN layer to graphene creates two coexisting moiré patterns, which can interfere to produce periodic, quasi-periodic or non-periodic superlattices, depending on their relative alignment. Here, we investigate one of the simplest realizations of such a double-moiré structure, graphene encapsulated between two BN layers, using dynamically rotatable van der Waals heterostructures. Our setup allows \textit{in situ} control of the top BN alignment while keeping the bottom BN fixed. By systematically mapping the charge transport as a function of BN angular alignment, we identify the simultaneous signatures of the original moirés, super-moirés, and a third set of features corresponding to quasi-Brillouin zones (qBZ) formed when the system's periodicity becomes ill-defined. Comparing our measurements with theoretical models, we provide the first experimental mapping of the qBZs as a function of angular alignment. Our results establish a direct experimental link between moiré interference and qBZ formation, opening new avenues for engineering electronic structures in multi-aligned 2D heterostructures.
title Mapping the twist angle dependence of quasi-Brillouin zones in doubly aligned graphene/BN heterostructures
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.19369