Twist-engineering of a robust Quantum Spin Hall phase in $β$-/flat bismuthene bilayer from first principles

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Autori principali: Pelliccia, Umberto, Ruiz, Alberto M., López-Alcalá, Diego, Abellán, Gonzalo, Gonzalez-Hernandez, Rafael, Baldoví, José J.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Pelliccia, Umberto
Ruiz, Alberto M.
López-Alcalá, Diego
Abellán, Gonzalo
Gonzalez-Hernandez, Rafael
Baldoví, José J.
author_facet Pelliccia, Umberto
Ruiz, Alberto M.
López-Alcalá, Diego
Abellán, Gonzalo
Gonzalez-Hernandez, Rafael
Baldoví, José J.
contents Twist-engineering of topological phases in two-dimensional materials offers a powerful route to modulate electronic structure beyond conventional strain or chemical control. In particular, group 15 (pnictogens) monolayers such as bismuthene provide an ideal platform due to their strong intrinsic spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and robust topological character. Here, we investigate a previously unexplored heterostructure consisting of a $β$-bismuthene monolayer rotated by 30$^\circ$ on a planar bismuthene layer stabilized on a SiC(0001) substrate. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that this specific rotational alignment induces a unique interlayer orbital hybridization which, combined with the strong SOC and the naturally broken inversion symmetry, gives rise to a pronounced Rashba spin-splitting, absent in the isolated monolayers. The topological nature of the system is confirmed through the calculation of the Z2 topological invariant and Spin Hall Conductivity (SHC), revealing a robust Quantum Spin Hall (QSH) phase with an enhanced topological response compared to the individual layers. Furthermore, we explore the chemical tunability of this system via Sb substitution, showing that the gradual reduction of SOC systematically narrows the band gap while preserving the non-trivial topology. Our results establish large-angle twisted group 15 heterostructures as a versatile platform for engineering spin-orbit-driven phenomena and advancing topological spintronics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_13960
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Twist-engineering of a robust Quantum Spin Hall phase in $β$-/flat bismuthene bilayer from first principles
Pelliccia, Umberto
Ruiz, Alberto M.
López-Alcalá, Diego
Abellán, Gonzalo
Gonzalez-Hernandez, Rafael
Baldoví, José J.
Materials Science
Twist-engineering of topological phases in two-dimensional materials offers a powerful route to modulate electronic structure beyond conventional strain or chemical control. In particular, group 15 (pnictogens) monolayers such as bismuthene provide an ideal platform due to their strong intrinsic spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and robust topological character. Here, we investigate a previously unexplored heterostructure consisting of a $β$-bismuthene monolayer rotated by 30$^\circ$ on a planar bismuthene layer stabilized on a SiC(0001) substrate. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that this specific rotational alignment induces a unique interlayer orbital hybridization which, combined with the strong SOC and the naturally broken inversion symmetry, gives rise to a pronounced Rashba spin-splitting, absent in the isolated monolayers. The topological nature of the system is confirmed through the calculation of the Z2 topological invariant and Spin Hall Conductivity (SHC), revealing a robust Quantum Spin Hall (QSH) phase with an enhanced topological response compared to the individual layers. Furthermore, we explore the chemical tunability of this system via Sb substitution, showing that the gradual reduction of SOC systematically narrows the band gap while preserving the non-trivial topology. Our results establish large-angle twisted group 15 heterostructures as a versatile platform for engineering spin-orbit-driven phenomena and advancing topological spintronics.
title Twist-engineering of a robust Quantum Spin Hall phase in $β$-/flat bismuthene bilayer from first principles
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.13960