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arXiv · 2412.06922

Flat bands on spherical surface: from Landau levels to giant-quantum-number orbitals

Chen-Xin Jiang·Zi-Xiang Hu·Bo Yang
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Abstract

Flat bands result in a divergent density of states and high sensitivity to interactions in physical systems. While such bands are well known in systems under magnetic fields, their realization and behavior in zero-field settings remain largely unexplored. Here we compare the behavior of electrons confined to a single flat band on the surface of a sphere to those in flat bands under a magnetic field. The zero-field flat band exhibits an additional C(2) symmetry, which causes electrons to symmetrically cluster on opposite sides of the sphere's center when a trapping potential is introduced, resulting in a unique form of long-range "entanglement". To explore these findings experimentally, we propose a feasible setup to explore the unique properties of zero-field flat bands on spherical substrates, offering a promising route for studying interaction-driven states in spherical geometry without external fields.

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Chen-Xin Jiang, Zi-Xiang Hu, Bo Yang. 2024-12-09. Flat bands on spherical surface: from Landau levels to giant-quantum-number orbitals. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02208-9

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