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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.16798 |
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| _version_ | 1866918347045601280 |
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| author | Smith, Conor Yang, Yubo Wan, Zhou-Quan Chen, Yixiao Morales, Miguel A. Zhang, Shiwei |
| author_facet | Smith, Conor Yang, Yubo Wan, Zhou-Quan Chen, Yixiao Morales, Miguel A. Zhang, Shiwei |
| contents | Moiré systems have emerged as an exciting tunable platform for engineering and probing quantum matter. A large number of exotic states have been observed, stimulating intense efforts in experiment, theory, and simulation. Utilizing a neural-network-based quantum Monte Carlo approach, we discover a new ground state of the two-dimensional electron gas in a honeycomb moire potential at a filling factor of $ν_m =1/4$ (one electron every four moiré minima). In this state, two opposite-spin electrons pair to form a singlet-like valence bond state which restores local $C_6$ symmetry in hexagonal molecules each spanning $6$ moiré minima. These molecules of pairs then form a molecular Wigner crystal, leaving one quarter of the moiré minima mostly depleted. The formation of such a paired Wigner crystal, absent any confining potential or attractive interaction to facilitate "pre-assembling" the molecule, provides a fascinating case of collective phenomena in strongly interacting quantum many-body systems, and opportunities to engineer exotic properties. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_16798 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Neural Network Discovery of Paired Wigner Crystals in Artificial Graphene Smith, Conor Yang, Yubo Wan, Zhou-Quan Chen, Yixiao Morales, Miguel A. Zhang, Shiwei Quantum Physics Strongly Correlated Electrons Moiré systems have emerged as an exciting tunable platform for engineering and probing quantum matter. A large number of exotic states have been observed, stimulating intense efforts in experiment, theory, and simulation. Utilizing a neural-network-based quantum Monte Carlo approach, we discover a new ground state of the two-dimensional electron gas in a honeycomb moire potential at a filling factor of $ν_m =1/4$ (one electron every four moiré minima). In this state, two opposite-spin electrons pair to form a singlet-like valence bond state which restores local $C_6$ symmetry in hexagonal molecules each spanning $6$ moiré minima. These molecules of pairs then form a molecular Wigner crystal, leaving one quarter of the moiré minima mostly depleted. The formation of such a paired Wigner crystal, absent any confining potential or attractive interaction to facilitate "pre-assembling" the molecule, provides a fascinating case of collective phenomena in strongly interacting quantum many-body systems, and opportunities to engineer exotic properties. |
| title | Neural Network Discovery of Paired Wigner Crystals in Artificial Graphene |
| topic | Quantum Physics Strongly Correlated Electrons |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.16798 |