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arXiv · 2609.36703

Interlayer coupling between twisted graphenes through atomically-precise barriers

Yueyang Wang·Ben Fuller·Hongxia Xue·Tianyu Zhang·Kenji Watanabe·Takashi Taniguchi·Vladimir Falko·Dong-Keun Ki
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Abstract

Understanding and controlling interlayer coupling in van der Waals (vdW) materials is crucial for engineering novel electronic phenomena, including correlated states, topological phases, and superconductivity. Twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) offers a highly tunable platform to explore how interlayer orientation and separation influence quantum transport and moiré physics. Here, we introduce a method for achieving precise, atomic-scale control of interlayer coupling in TBG using dual-gated devices separated by ultrathin, thickness-tunable hBN spacers. This approach enables systematic control of interlayer interactions, demonstrating that the critical displacement field required for electron-hole bilayer behavior decreases as the layer separation increases at a fixed twist angle. Remarkably, at small twist angles, moiré-related side peaks persist even when layers are separated by tetralayers of hBN (approximately 1.3 nm), indicating robust interlayer band hybridization. By combining atomic-layer-precise control of interlayer coupling with independent twist angle tunability, our platform opens new avenues for discovering novel moiré physics governed by engineered interlayer coupling and moiré patterns.

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Yueyang Wang, Ben Fuller, Hongxia Xue, Tianyu Zhang, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Vladimir Falko, Dong-Keun Ki. 2026-09-29. Interlayer coupling between twisted graphenes through atomically-precise barriers. https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.36703

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