arXiv subjects

Kenji Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to Kenji Watanabe.

At least 559 records · Page 31Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Moiré enhanced flat band in rhombohedral graphene

The fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE) is a fascinating emergent quantum state characterized by fractionally charged excitations in the absence of magnetic field,which could arise from the intricate interplay between electron correlation, nontrivial topology and spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recently, FQAHE has been realized in aligned rhombohedral pentalayer graphene on BN superlattice (aligned R5G/BN), where the topological flat band is modulated by the moiré potential. However, intriguingly, the FQAHE is observed only when electrons are pushed away from the moiré interface. The apparently opposite implications from these experimental observations, along with different theoretical models, have sparked intense debates regarding the role of the moiré potential. Unambiguous experimental observation of the topological flat band as well as moiré bands with energy and momentum resolved information is therefore critical to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Here by performing nanospot angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (NanoARPES) measurements, we directly reveal the topological flat band electronic structures of R5G, from which key hopping parameters essential for determining the fundamental electronic structure of rhombohedral graphene are extracted. Moreover, a comparison of electronic structures between aligned and non-aligned samples reveals that the moiré potential plays a pivotal role in enhancing the topological flat band in the aligned sample. Our study provides experimental guiding lines to narrow down the phase space of rhombohedral graphene, laying an important foundation for understanding exotic quantum phenomena in this emerging platform.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Resistance hysteresis in twisted bilayer graphene: Intrinsic versus extrinsic effects

Hysteresis in resistance under magnetic field sweeps is a key signature for identifying magnetism in twisted bilayer graphene and similar systems. However, such sweeps can induce extrinsic thermal effects, complicating interpretations. Distinguishing intrinsic magnetic ordering from extrinsic thermal influences is crucial. In this study, we report hysteresis in the longitudinal resistance ($(R_{xx}$)) of a near magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) sample under an in-plane magnetic field ($(B_{||}$)). The hysteresis phase appears at the edge of the superconducting dome, diminishes deep within the superconducting regime, and reemerges near the superconducting critical temperature ($(T \sim T_c$)). The hysteresis magnitude and coercive fields strongly depend on the magnetic field sweep rate ($(dB/dt)$) and exhibit transient relaxation in time-series measurements. Notably, similar hysteresis behavior was observed in the temperature profile of the sample stage, measured using a calibrated temperature sensor under analogous magnetic field cycles, suggesting extrinsic thermal origins rather than intrinsic magnetic ordering. These findings underscore the importance of carefully distinguishing intrinsic and extrinsic effects in resistance hysteresis observed in mesoscopic van der Waals systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Optical detection of charge defects near a graphene transistor using the Stark shift of fluorescent molecules

Two-dimensional crystals and their heterostructures unlock access to a class of photonic devices, bringing nanophotonics from the nanometer scale down to the atomic level where quantum effects are relevant. Single-photon emitters (SPEs) are central in quantum photonics as quantum markers linked to their electrostatic, thermal, magnetic, or dielectric environment. This aspect is exciting in two-dimensional (2D) crystals and their heterostructures, where the environment can be abruptly modified through vertical stacking or lateral structuring, such as moiré or nano-patterned gates. To further develop 2D-based quantum photonic devices, there is a need for quantum markers that are capable of integration into various device geometries, and that can be read out individually, non-destructively, and without additional electrodes. Here, we show how to optically detect charge carrier accumulation using sub-GHz linewidth single-photon emitters coupled to a graphene device. We employ the single molecule Stark effect, sensitive to the electric fields generated by charge puddles, such as those at the graphene edge. The same approach enables dynamic sensing of electronic noise, and we demonstrate the optical read-out of low-frequency white noise in a biased graphene device. The approach described here can be further exploited to explore charge dynamics in 2D heterostructures using quantum emitter markers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Imaging moiré flat bands and Wigner molecular crystals in twisted bilayer MoTe2

Two-dimensional semiconducting moiré materials have emerged as a highly tunable platform for exploring novel quantum phenomena. Recently, tMoTe2 has attracted significant attentions due to the observation of the long-sought fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect. However, a comprehensive microscopic understanding of the tMoTe2 moiré superlattice remains elusive. Here, we report STM/STS studies in dual-gated tMoTe2 moiré devices with twist angles ranging from 2.3 to 3.8 deg. The device consists of two independent back-gates, one enables an ohmic contact for tMoTe2, while the other fine-tunes the Fermi level of tMoTe2. This dual-gate control enables direct measurement of the electronic structure in tMoTe2 under varied displacement fields and moiré filling factors, by fine tuning the gate voltage and the tip bias. Our STS spectra and spatial imaging reveal that the low-energy moiré flat bands are predominantly localized in the XM and MX regions of the moiré superlattice. At zero E-field, these bands form a honeycomb lattice with non-trivial topology, whereas an applied E-field drives a transition into two distinct triangular lattices with trivial topology. The spatial distributions align with large-scale first-principle calculations, demonstrating that the topological flat bands arise from the K-valley hybridization between the top and bottom MoTe2 layers. Furthermore, we show that the effective moiré potential depth can be controlled via gate and tip biases. At sufficient potential depths, we observe the emergence of Wigner molecular crystals, transitioning MX triangular lattice into a Kagome lattice at MX moiré filling factor 3. These results elucidate the microscopic origin of topological flat bands in tMoTe2 and demonstrate electric-field control of topology and correlated electronic orders, paving the way to engineer exotic quantum phases in moiré simulators.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Symmetry broken states at high displacement fields in ABA trilayer graphene

In this Letter, we present a comprehensive study of magnetotransport in high-mobility trilayer graphene (TLG) devices under a transverse displacement field, focusing on symmetry-broken Landau levels (LLs) from monolayer-like and bilayer-like bands. A striking displacement-field-induced enhancement of the Landé g-factor is observed in the zeroth Landau level of the monolayer-like band, highlighting the role of strong electron-electron interactions. Additionally, we find a rich landscape of LL crossings in the Dirac gully region, accompanied by phase transitions between spin-, gully-, and valley-polarized LLs. These experimental observations are successfully modeled using calculations based on optimized tight-binding parameters. Furthermore, our results reveal significant particle-hole asymmetry in the sequence of LLs in the Dirac gullies, attributed to differing g-factor values for electrons and holes. This asymmetry underscores the limitations of non-interacting models in capturing the complexities of strongly correlated multiband systems. This work provides new insights into the interplay of symmetry-breaking mechanisms and strong correlations in Bernal-stacked trilayer graphene, advancing our understanding of quantum transport phenomena in multiband systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Optical control of orbital magnetism in magic angle twisted bilayer graphene

Flat bands in graphene-based moiré structures host a wide range of emerging strongly correlated and topological phenomena. Optically probing and controlling them can reveal important information such as symmetry and dynamics, but have so far been challenging due to the small energy gap compared to optical wavelengths. Here, we report near infrared optical control of orbital magnetism and associated anomalous Hall effects (AHE) in a magic angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) on monolayer WSe$_2$ device. We show that the properties of the AHE, such as hysteresis and amplitude, can be controlled by light near integer moiré fillings, where spontaneous ferromagnetism exists. By modulating the light helicity, we observe periodic modulation of the transverse resistance in a wide range of fillings, indicating light induced orbital magnetization through a large inverse Faraday effect. At the transition between metallic and AHE regimes, we also reveal large and random switching of the Hall resistivity, which are attributed to optical control of percolating cluster of magnetic domains. Our results open the door to optical manipulation of correlation and topology in MATBG and related structures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Two-dimensional atomic-scale ultrathin lateral heterostructures

Ultrathin lateral heterostructures of monolayer MoS2 and WS2 have successfully been realized with the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition method. Atomic-resolution HAADF-STEM observations have revealed that the junction widths of lateral heterostructures range from several nanometers to single-atom thickness, the thinnest heterojunction in theory. The interfaces are atomically flat with minimal mixing between MoS2 and WS2, originating from rapid and abrupt switching of the source supply. Due to one-dimensional interfaces and broken rotational symmetry, the resulting ultrathin lateral heterostructures, 1~2 mixed-dimensional structures, can show emergent optical/electronic properties. The MOCVD growth developed in this work allows us to access various ultrathin lateral heterostructures, leading to future exploration of their emergent properties absent in each component alone.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Valley optoelectronics based on meta-waveguide photodetectors

In transition metal dichalcogenides, the valley degree of freedom directly couples valley-polarised excitons - excited by circularly polarised light - to valley-dependent chiral photons, enabling ultrafast light-driven valleytronics. However, achieving fully integrated valley optoelectronics - incorporating on-chip generation, selective routing, and electrical readout of valley-dependent chiral photons - remains an unresolved challenge. We present a valley-driven hybrid nanophotonic-optoelectronic circuit that integrates chirality-selective meta-waveguide photodetectors with transition metal dichalcogenides. At room temperature, our purposely designed meta-waveguide device generates near-unity valley-dependent chiral photons in the second harmonic generation from an encapsulated tungsten disulfide monolayer and selectively couples them to unidirectional waveguide modes, achieving an exceptional polarisation selectivity of 0.97. These valley-dependent waveguide modes were subsequently detected by atomically thin few-layer tungsten diselenide photodetectors, exclusively responsive to the above-bandgap upconverted photons, thereby enabling all-on-chip processing of valley-multiplexed images. Our demonstration bridges a critical gap in lightwave valleytronics, paving the way for compact, scalable valley information processing and fostering the development of light-based valleytronic quantum technologies.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

High-Resolution Tunneling Spectroscopy of Fractional Quantum Hall States

Strong interaction between electrons in two-dimensional systems in the presence of a high magnetic field gives rise to fractional quantum Hall states that host quasiparticles with fractional charge and fractional exchange statistics. Here, we demonstrate high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of fractional quantum Hall states in ultra clean Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene devices. Spectroscopy measurements show sharp excitations that have been predicted to emerge when electrons fractionalize into bound states of quasiparticles. We find energy gaps for candidate non-abelian fractional states that are larger by a factor of five than other related systems - for example semiconductor heterostructures - and this suggests bilayer graphene is an ideal platform for the manipulation of these quasiparticles and for the creation of a topological quantum bit. We also find previously unobserved fractional states in our very clean graphene samples.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Quadrupolar and Dipolar Excitons in Bilayer 2$H$-MoSe$_2$

We report the experimental observation of quadrupolar exciton states in the reflectance contrast spectrum of 2$H$-stacked bilayer MoSe$_2$. The application of a vertical electric field results in a quadratic energy redshift of these quadrupolar excitons, in contrast to the linear energy splitting observed in the coexisting dipolar excitons within the bilayer MoSe$_2$. We perform helicity-resolved reflectance contrast measurements to investigate the spin and valley configurations of the quadrupolar exciton states as a function of applied vertical electric and magnetic fields. Comparing our results with a phenomenological coupled-oscillator model indicates that the electric- and magnetic-field dependence of the quadrupolar exciton states can be attributed to the intravalley and intervalley hybridization of spin-triplet interlayer excitons with opposite permanent dipole moments, mediated by interlayer hole tunneling. These results position naturally stacked MoSe$_2$ bilayers as a promising platform to explore electric-field-tunable many-body exciton phenomena.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

The role of antisymmetric orbitals and electron-electron interactions on the two-particle spin and valley blockade in graphene double quantum dots

We report on an experimental study of spin and valley blockade in two-electron bilayer graphene (BLG) double quantum dots (DQDs) and explore the limits set by asymmetric orbitals and electronelectron interactions. The results obtained from magnetotransport measurements on two-electron BLG DQDs, where the resonant tunneling transport involves both orbital symmetric and antisymmetric two-particle states, show a rich level spectrum. We observe a magnetic field tunable spin and valley blockade, which is limited by the orbital splitting, the strength of the electron-electron interaction and the difference in the valley g-factors between the symmetric and antisymmetric twoparticle orbital states. Our conclusions are supported by simulations based on rate equations, which allow the identification of prominent interdot transitions associated with the transition from single to two-particle states observed in the experiment.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Angular Interplay of Nematicity, Superconductivity, and Strange Metallicity in a Moiré Flat Band

Superconductivity in strongly correlated electron systems frequently exhibits broken rotational symmetry, raising fundamental questions about the underlying order parameter symmetry. In this work, we demonstrate that electronic nematicity--driven by Coulomb-mediated rotational symmetry breaking--serves as a crucial link to understanding the nature of superconductivity. Utilizing a novel framework of angle-resolved measurement, we reveal an interring angular interplay among nematicity, superconductivity, and strange metallicity in magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene. By establishing a direct correlation between the preferred superconducting transport direction and the principal axis of the metallic phase, our findings place strong constrains on the symmetry of the superconducting order parameter. This work introduces a new paradigm for probing the microscopic mechanisms governing superconductivity in strongly interacting two-dimensional systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Simultaneous transport and tunneling spectroscopy of moiré graphene: Distinct observation of the superconducting gap and signatures of nodal superconductivity

Understanding the nature of superconductivity in magic-angle graphene remains challenging. A key difficulty lies in discerning the different energy scales in this strongly interacting system, particularly the superconducting gap. Here, we report the first simultaneous tunneling spectroscopy and transport measurements of magic-angle graphene, providing a novel approach to probe the superconducting state. This approach allows us to identify two coexisting V-shaped tunneling gaps with different energy scales: a distinct low-energy superconducting gap that vanishes at the superconducting critical temperature and magnetic field, and a higher-energy pseudogap. The superconducting tunneling spectra display a linear gap-filling behavior with temperature and magnetic field and exhibit the Volovik effect, consistent with a nodal order parameter. Our work reveals the unconventional nature of the superconducting gap in magic-angle graphene and establishes an experimental framework for multidimensional investigation of tunable quantum materials.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Entropy of strongly correlated electrons in a partially filled Landau level

We use high-resolution chemical potential measurements to extract the entropy of monolayer and bilayer graphene in the quantum Hall regime via the Maxwell relation $\left.\frac{dμ}{dT}\right|_N = -\left.\frac{dS}{dN}\right|_T$. Measuring the entropy from $T=300$K down to $T=200$mK, we identify the sequential emergence of quantum Hall ferromagnetism, fractional quantum Hall states (FQH), and various charge orders by comparing the measured entropy in different temperature regimes with theoretical models. At the lowest temperature of $T \approx 200$mK we perform a detailed study of the entropy near even-denominator fractional quantum Hall states in bilayer graphene, and comment on the possible topological origin of the observed excess entropy.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

In situ engineering hexagonal boron nitride in van der Waals heterostructures with selective SF6 etching

Van der Waals heterostructures are at the forefront in materials heterostructure engineering, offering the ultimate control in layer selectivity and capability to combine virtually any material. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), the most commonly used dielectric material, has proven indispensable in this field, allowing the encapsulation of active 2D materials preserving their exceptional electronic quality. However, not all device applications require full encapsulation but rather require open surfaces, or even selective patterning of hBN layers. Here, we report on a procedure to engineer top hBN layers within van der Waals heterostructures while preserving the underlying active 2D layers. Using a soft selective SF6 etching combined with a series of pre and post-etching treatments, we demonstrate that pristine surfaces can be exposed with atomic flatness while preserving the active layers electronic quality. We benchmark our technique using graphene encapsulated with hBN Hall bar devices. Using Raman spectroscopy combined with quantum transport, we show high quality can be preserved in etched regions by demonstrating low temperature carrier mobilities of 200,000 cm2Vs-1, ballistic transport probed through magnetic focusing, and intrinsic room temperature phonon-limited mobilities. Atomic force microscopy brooming and O2 plasma cleaning are identified as key pre-etching steps to obtaining pristine open surfaces while preserving electronic quality. The technique provides a clean method for opening windows into mesoscopic van der Waals devices that can be used for local probe experiments, patterning top hBN in situ, and exposing 2D layers to their environment for sensing applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Engineering robust strain transmission in van der Waals heterostructure devices

Atomically thin van der Waals materials provide a highly tunable platform for exploring emergent quantum phenomena in solid state systems. Due to their remarkable mechanical strength, one enticing tuning knob is strain. However, the weak strain transfer of graphite and hBN, which are standard components of high-qualityvdW devices, poses fundamental challenges for high-strain experiments. Here, we investigate strain transmission in less-explored orthorhombic crystals and find robust transmission up to several percent at cryogenic temperatures. We further show that strain can be efficiently transferred through these crystals to other 2D materials in traditional heterostructure devices. Using this capability, we demonstrate in-situ strain and gate control of the optical properties of monolayer WS2 utilizing the high-\k{appa} dielectric insulator Bi2SeO5 as a substrate. These results enable the exploration of combined cryo-strain and gate tuning in a variety of layered systems such as moiré heterostructures, air-sensitive 2D magnets and superconductors, and any gated 2D device.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Switching on and off the spin polarization of the conduction band in antiferromagnetic bilayer transistors

Antiferromagnetic conductors with suitably broken spatial symmetries host spin-polarized bands, which lead to transport phenomena commonly observed in metallic ferromagnets. In bulk materials, it is the given crystalline structure that determines whether symmetries are broken and spin-polarized bands are present. Here we demonstrate experimentally that double-gate transistors realized on bilayers of van der Waals antiferromagnetic semiconductor CrPS4 allow the relevant symmetry to be controlled by a perpendicular electric displacement field. Such a level of control enables the spin-polarization of the conduction band to be switched on and off. Because conduction band states with opposite spin-polarizations are hosted in the different layers and are spatially separated, these devices also give control over the magnetization of the electrons that are accumulated electrostatically. Our experiments show that double-gated CrPS4 transistors provide a viable platform to create gate-induced conductors with near unity spin polarization at the Fermi level, as well as devices with a full electrostatic control of the total magnetization of the system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Edge dependence of the Josephson current in the quantum Hall regime

The observation of Josephson current in the quantum Hall regime has attracted considerable attention, revealing the coexistence of two seemingly incompatible phases: the quantum Hall and superconducting states. However, the mechanism underlying the Josephson current remains unclear because of the observed h/2e magnetic interference period and the lack of precisely quantized Hall plateaus. To address this issue, we investigate the edge dependence of the Josephson current in graphene Josephson junctions operating in the quantum Hall regime. By systematically comparing devices with native, etched, edge-free, and gate-defined edges, we demonstrate that the Josephson current is confined to the physical edges and is highly sensitive to specific edge configurations. Our findings provide direct evidence that counter-propagating quantum Hall edge states mediate Andreev bound states, enabling Josephson coupling. These results clarify the underlying mechanism of Josephson current in the quantum Hall regime and offer new strategies for engineering superconducting hybrid devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗