Litcius/Paper detail

Emergent ferromagnetism near three-quarters filling in twisted bilayer graphene

Aaron L. Sharpe, Eli J. Fox, Arthur W. Barnard, Joe Finney, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, M. A. Kastner, David Goldhaber-Gordon

2019Science1,723 citationsDOIOpen Access PDF

Abstract

When two sheets of graphene are stacked at a small twist angle, the resulting flat superlattice minibands are expected to strongly enhance electron-electron interactions. Here, we present evidence that near three-quarters ([Formula: see text]) filling of the conduction miniband, these enhanced interactions drive the twisted bilayer graphene into a ferromagnetic state. In a narrow density range around an apparent insulating state at [Formula: see text], we observe emergent ferromagnetic hysteresis, with a giant anomalous Hall (AH) effect as large as 10.4 kilohms and indications of chiral edge states. Notably, the magnetization of the sample can be reversed by applying a small direct current. Although the AH resistance is not quantized, and dissipation is present, our measurements suggest that the system may be an incipient Chern insulator.

Topics & Concepts

Condensed matter physicsFerromagnetismBilayer grapheneSuperlatticeMaterials scienceGrapheneBilayerMagnetizationThermal conductionDissipationTwistEnhanced Data Rates for GSM EvolutionConductanceHall effectElectrical resistivity and conductivityDensity of statesRange (aeronautics)HysteresisSpontaneous magnetizationCharge-carrier densityGraphene research and applications2D Materials and ApplicationsTopological Materials and Phenomena