Symmetry Breaking and Anomalous Conductivity in a Double-Moiré Superlattice

Li，Yuhao1,2,3; Xue，Minmin4; Fan，Hua5; Gao，Cun Fa3; Shi，Yan3; Liu，Yang6; Watanabe，Kenji7; Tanguchi，Takashi8; Zhao，Yue5; Wu，Fengcheng9,10; Wang，Xinran1; Shi，Yi1; Guo，Wanlin4; Zhang，Zhuhua4; Fei，Zaiyao1; Li，Jiangyu2,11

2022-08-10

10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01710

NANO LETTERS   Impact Factor & Quartile

1530-6984

1530-6992

In a two-dimensional moiré superlattice, the atomic reconstruction of constituent layers could introduce significant modifications to the lattice symmetry and electronic structure at small twist angles. Here, we employ conductive atomic force microscopy to investigate a twisted trilayer graphene double-moiré superlattice. Two sets of moiré superlattices are observed. At neighboring domains of the large moiré, the current exhibits either 2- or 6-fold rotational symmetry, indicating delicate symmetry breaking beyond the rigid model. Moreover, an anomalous current appears at the "A-A" stacking site of the larger moiré, contradictory to previous observations on twisted bilayer graphene. Both behaviors can be understood by atomic reconstruction, and we also show that the measured current is dominated by the tip-graphene contact resistance that maps the local work function qualitatively. Our results reveal new insights of atomic reconstruction in novel moiré superlattices and opportunities for manipulating exotic quantum states on the basis of twisted van der Waals heterostructures.

anomalous conductivity conductive AFM double-moiré superlattice symmetry breaking twisted trilayer graphene

SCI ; EI

English

NI Journal Papers

Others

National Key Research and Development Program of China["2021YFA1401300","2021YFA0715600"] ; Leading Talents Program of Guangdong Province[2016LJ06C372] ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory Program from the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province[2021B1212040001] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China["11772153","12072150","11872203","12102180"] ; NSF of Jiangsu Province[BK20190018] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China for Creative Research Groups[51921003] ; Elemental Strategy Initiative conducted by the MEXT of Japan[JPMXP0112101001] ; JSPS KAKENHI[U1937601] ; JSPS["19H05790","20H00354","21H05233"]

Chemistry ; Science & Technology - Other Topics ; Materials Science ; Physics

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary ; Chemistry, Physical ; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology ; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary ; Physics, Applied ; Physics, Condensed Matter

WOS:000841296600001

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

20223312579735

Electronic structure ; Quantum theory ; Van der Waals forces

Nanotechnology:761 ; Physical Chemistry:801.4 ; Chemical Products Generally:804 ; Atomic and Molecular Physics:931.3 ; Quantum Theory; Quantum Mechanics:931.4

MATERIALS SCIENCE

2-s2.0-85135768527

Scopus

1.National Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures,School of Electronic Science and Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures,Nanjing University,Nanjing,210093,China
2.Department of Materials Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
3.State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures,Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics,Nanjing,210016,China
4.Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education,Institute for Frontier Science of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics,Nanjing,210016,China
5.Department of Physics,Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China
6.Jinan Institute of Quantum Technology,Jinan,250101,China
7.Research Center for Functional Materials,National Institute for Materials Science,Tsukuba,1-1 Namiki,305-0044,Japan
8.International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics,National Institute for Materials Science,Tsukuba,1-1 Namiki,305-0044,Japan
9.School of Physics and Technology,Wuhan University,Wuhan,430072,China
10.Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology,Wuhan,430206,China
11.Guangdong Provisional Key Laboratory of Functional Oxide Materials and Devices,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China

Li，Yuhao,Xue，Minmin,Fan，Hua,et al. Symmetry Breaking and Anomalous Conductivity in a Double-Moiré Superlattice[J]. NANO LETTERS,2022,22(15):6215-6222.

Li，Yuhao.,Xue，Minmin.,Fan，Hua.,Gao，Cun Fa.,Shi，Yan.,...&Li，Jiangyu.(2022).Symmetry Breaking and Anomalous Conductivity in a Double-Moiré Superlattice.NANO LETTERS,22(15),6215-6222.

Li，Yuhao,et al."Symmetry Breaking and Anomalous Conductivity in a Double-Moiré Superlattice".NANO LETTERS 22.15(2022):6215-6222.