On the cutting edge of edges: International collaboration explores features of Chern insulator edge modes in moiré bilayers
Moiré bilayer systems stand out as an intriguing playground for exploring unconventional electronic states, from correlated insulators and superconductivity to Chern insulators. A recent international collaboration is now paving the way for a clearer understanding of these systems. Dr. Chen-Hsuan Hsu of the Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, together with Prof. Daniel Loss and Prof. Jelena Klinovaja from the University of Basel, Switzerland, have devised a theoretical framework that allows for the identification of various electronic states in a quantum-wire network appearing in the moiré bilayer systems.
The team goes a step further by showcasing the practical applicability of this theoretical description. Specifically, they propose several experimental setups that could serve to validate their predictions. These setups involve spectroscopic probes and transport measurements on the gapless edge modes when the system is operating in a Chern insulator state. The identification and validation of these electronic states could significantly enhance the study and practical applications of moiré bilayer systems, further enriching the field of condensed matter physics.
Journal Links: https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.108.L121409
WebSite: https://sites.google.com/view/qmtheory/research