Hierarchical symmetry breaking in Moiré graphene domain-wall networks
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| author | Yan, Xue Chen, Kaiyun Yan, Yuan Feng, Fan Sun, Minglei Brandl, Christian Liu, Jefferson Zhe |
| author_facet | Yan, Xue Chen, Kaiyun Yan, Yuan Feng, Fan Sun, Minglei Brandl, Christian Liu, Jefferson Zhe |
| contents | Moiré network formation in graphene bilayers breaks stacking symmetry, giving rise to domain walls that host topologically protected one-dimensional states. Here we show that these systems undergo an additional symmetry breaking at the level of the domain-wall network geometry, leading to the spontaneous emergence of chiral network configurations that are not determined by topology alone. Using atomistic structural relaxation and electronic-structure calculations, we show that TDW networks adopt chiral geometries through lattice relaxation. Via developing a comprehensive phase diagram defined by strain and interlayer flexibility, we discover three equilibrium network morphologies: straight, mono-chiral, and dual-chiral. Chiral networks arise from the global minimization of TDW energy under moiré geometric constraints. Tight-binding calculations show that straight networks host junction-centred states, whereas chiral networks shift spectral weight toward asymmetric edge modes. While topologically protected states naturally emerge at AB/BA domain boundaries in moiré bilayers, we demonstrated that the localization of boundary states is network-symmetry dependent. Our results show that symmetry breaking at both the stacking and network levels provides a new way to understand and control low-energy electronic states in moiré bilayers. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_23570 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Hierarchical symmetry breaking in Moiré graphene domain-wall networks Yan, Xue Chen, Kaiyun Yan, Yuan Feng, Fan Sun, Minglei Brandl, Christian Liu, Jefferson Zhe Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics Materials Science Moiré network formation in graphene bilayers breaks stacking symmetry, giving rise to domain walls that host topologically protected one-dimensional states. Here we show that these systems undergo an additional symmetry breaking at the level of the domain-wall network geometry, leading to the spontaneous emergence of chiral network configurations that are not determined by topology alone. Using atomistic structural relaxation and electronic-structure calculations, we show that TDW networks adopt chiral geometries through lattice relaxation. Via developing a comprehensive phase diagram defined by strain and interlayer flexibility, we discover three equilibrium network morphologies: straight, mono-chiral, and dual-chiral. Chiral networks arise from the global minimization of TDW energy under moiré geometric constraints. Tight-binding calculations show that straight networks host junction-centred states, whereas chiral networks shift spectral weight toward asymmetric edge modes. While topologically protected states naturally emerge at AB/BA domain boundaries in moiré bilayers, we demonstrated that the localization of boundary states is network-symmetry dependent. Our results show that symmetry breaking at both the stacking and network levels provides a new way to understand and control low-energy electronic states in moiré bilayers. |
| title | Hierarchical symmetry breaking in Moiré graphene domain-wall networks |
| topic | Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics Materials Science |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.23570 |