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Guorui Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Guorui Chen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Chiral superconductors and competing states across a Lifshitz transition in rhombohedral pentalayer graphene

Rhombohedral multilayer graphene hosts a distinctive low-energy electronic structure in which strong Coulomb interactions and nontrivial quantum geometry intertwine to generate exotic quantum states. Recent experiments reported signatures of chiral superconductivity in electron-doped rhombohedral multilayer graphene within the spin- and valley-polarized regime. Here we map the normal-state fermiology surrounding chiral superconductivity in rhombohedral pentalayer graphene. Quantum oscillation measurements reveal an electrically controlled Lifshitz transition between a simply-connected circular quarter-metal Fermi surface and an annular quarter-metal Fermi surface. The Lifshitz boundary itself shifts with perpendicular magnetic field, consistent with the strongly momentum-dependent orbital magnetic moment of the low-energy band. Approaching the transition from either side, the electron effective mass becomes strongly enhanced, implying the formation of a nearly dispersionless band bottom and a strongly reduced kinetic-energy scale. This singular electronic structure produces a regime of exceptionally strong instability in which chiral superconductivity competes with Wigner crystalline phases and reentrant quantum Hall states. In particular, two superconducting regions with signatures of orbital time-reversal-symmetry breaking lie on opposite sides of the Lifshitz boundary and have comparable transition temperatures, yet the annular-side state is suppressed by a substantially smaller perpendicular magnetic field. Our calculation finds comparable chiral pairing tendencies on the two parent Fermi surfaces while producing a much lower orbital-Zeeman pair-breaking scale and an additional finite-momentum pairing tendency for the annular state. These results identify Fermi-surface topology as a key control parameter for chiral superconductivity in rhombohedral graphene.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Layer-Number-Controlled Symmetry Breaking and Surface-State Transport in Rhombohedral Graphene Multilayers

Rhombohedral multilayer graphene hosts layer-polarized flat bands, providing an intriguing platform for correlated and topological electronic states; however, the role of layer number in governing symmetry breaking and surface screening remains elusive. Here we prepare rhombohedral graphene multilayers and systematically conduct electrical transport measurements. We uncover an unconventional layer dependence of phase transitions: the critical displacement field (D$_{c}$) for the layer-antiferromagnetic (LAF)-to-semimetal transitions remains constant across tetralayer to hexalayer graphene, whereas the D$_{c}$ for semimetal-to-layer-polarized-insulator (LPI) transition increases with layer number, defying unscreened Coulomb interaction models. In hexalayer graphene, surface-state-dominated transport emerges, with Landau levels (LLs) and resistive peaks selectively controlled by adjacent gates, a signature of strong interlayer screening absent in thinner stacks. High magnetic fields reveal valley-layer-locked LLs and dissipative states possibly from interlayer backscattering, highlighting the presence of decoupled surface states. Our findings establish layer number as a key tuning knob for engineering correlated and topological phases in rhombohedral graphene multilayers.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Multiple Superconducting Phases in Rhombohedral Heptalayer Graphene

Crystalline rhombohedral multilayer graphene (RMG) has emerged as an ideal platform for studying unconventional superconductivity. Here, we report the observation of superconductivity in moir\'eless rhombohedral heptalayer graphene (RHG) at zero magnetic field. The superconducting phases emerge at low displacement electric fields (|D| < 0.2 V/nm) and are symmetrically distributed about D = 0, with one robust state exhibiting zero resistance and two weaker superconducting features. Comparisons with rhombohedral pentalayer graphene (RPG) reveal distinct perpendicular magnetic-field responses, and quantum oscillation measurements indicate that superconductivity in RHG arises from a half-metallic normal state. These results highlight the strong dependence of superconductivity on layer number and electronic structure in RMG systems and provide new insights into its microscopic origin.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Field-induced asymmetric band flattening and ideal quantum geometry in rhombohedral graphene

Rhombohedral graphene exhibits an exceptionally diverse array of correlated phases that depend sensitively on the displacement field. Compiling reported phases into a unified phase diagram reveals a pronounced field-dependent electron-hole asymmetry: correlated states on the hole-doped side emerge at small displacement fields, whereas the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE) is observed exclusively on the electron-doped side under large displacement fields. This stark asymmetry highlights the need to understand how flat bands evolve with displacement fields. Here, we directly visualize the field-induced electron-hole asymmetric band flattening in rhombohedral pentalayer graphene (R5G) using nanospot angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with electrostatic gating. Beyond gap opening and spectral weight redistribution indicative of layer polarization, the gating field drives a strongly asymmetric modification of the flat bands: the flat valence band (FVB) evolves into an M-shaped dispersion at high field, whereas the flat conduction band (FCB) progressively flattens with increasing field. Comparison with calculations identifies critical parameters governing the band curvature of R5G, from which the resulting finite Berry curvature and near-ideal quantum geometry support the emergence of topological phases under electron doping at large fields. These results establish a direct link between the asymmetric phase diagram, band structure evolution, and quantum geometry, providing a microscopic framework for understanding correlated and topological phases in rhombohedral graphene.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Tunable high-Chern-number Chern insulators in rhombohedral tetralayer graphene/hBN moir\'e superlattices

Moir\'e superlattices based on rhombohedral multilayer graphene have emerged as a highly tunable platform for engineering correlated topological phases. Here, we systematically investigate the transport properties of the hole-doped side in rhombohedral tetralayer graphene/ hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) moir\'e superlattices across a range of twist angles and alignment orientations. Notably, we observed multiple high-Chern-number Chern insulators, including the previously reported integer Chern insulator with Chern number C = -4 at moir\'e filling factor v = -1 and newly discovered symmetry-broken Chern insulating states with C = +3, $\pm$2, $\pm$1 at fractional moir\'e fillings of v = -2.5 or -2.6. These Chern insulating states emerge in both hBN alignment, but exhibit a sensitive moir\'e wavelength dependence. Our findings demonstrate the exceptional tunability of these high-Chern-number states via moir\'e wavelength, displacement electric field and external magnetic field, underscoring the distinct topological landscape realized in hole-doped RTG/hBN moir\'e superlattices.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Hydrostatic Pressure-enhanced correlated magnetism and Chern insulator in moir'e WSe2

Moir\'e semiconductors offer flat bands where Coulomb interactions and band topology intertwine, while interlayer coupling plays a central role in forming the moir\'e potential. However, limited interlayer coupling strength and the lack of efficient tuning methods hinder further exploration of correlated phenomena in moir\'e semiconductors. Here we introduce a cryogenic dual-gated diamond-anvil platform using helium as a pressure medium, enabling reversible hydrostatic tuning together with magneto-optical spectroscopy in twisted bilayer WSe2. Pressure enhances the moir\'e potential, redshifts excitons, and stabilizes Stoner ferromagnetism otherwise absent at a 3.1-degree twist. Simultaneously, the half-filled C = 1 Chern insulating state strengthens, exhibiting a reduced saturation field. Moreover, we observe a topological phase transition from a Chern insulator to a Mott insulator at around 2 GPa. First-principles calculations reveal that a Gamma-to-K valence-band-maximum switching drives this transition by converting an Ising-like topological K-valley miniband into a spin-degenerate trivial Gamma miniband. Our findings demonstrate hydrostatic pressure as a powerful, continuous control axis for correlated magnetism and topological band engineering in moir\'e materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Superconductivity in non-centrosymmetric rhombohedral NbSe2

Crystal stacking offers a powerful yet underexplored route to engineer symmetry in layered superconductors. Here we report superconductivity in rhombohedral-stacked NbSe2 (3R-NbSe2), a non-centrosymmetric polytype in which global inversion symmetry is removed by stacking alone. Using comprehensive structural, transport, magnetic, and thermodynamic measurements, we establish superconductivity as a bulk property of the 3R phase and find that the in-plane upper critical field exceeds the Pauli paramagnetic limit, indicating the persistence of strong Ising-type spin-orbit coupling. Unlike the thickness-dependent superconductivity in centrosymmetric 2H-NbSe2, the superconducting transition temperature in 3R-NbSe2 shows little dependence on layer number but exhibits an unusually strong sensitivity to disorder. We further observe strongly enhanced nonlinear optical and electrical responses near the superconducting transition, consistent with stacking-induced inversion-symmetry breaking. Our results identify 3R-NbSe2 as a single-phase platform in which stacking engineering reshapes superconductivity and enables nonlinear transport phenomena in layered materials.

cond-mat.supr-con

From fractional Chern insulators to topological electronic crystals in moir\'e MoTe2: quantum geometry tuning via remote layer

The quantum geometry of Bloch wavefunctions,encoded in the Berry curvature and quantum metric, is believed to be a decisive ingredient in stabilizing fractional quantum anomalous Hall (FQAH) effect(i.e., fractional Chern insulator, FCI, at zero magnetic field), against competing symmetry-breaking phases.A direct experimental demonstration of quantum geometry-driven switching between distinct correlated topological phases, however, has been lacking. Here, we report experimental evidence of such a switch in a high-quality 3.7 twisted MoTe2 (tMoTe2) device consisting of both A-A bilayer and A-AB trilayer regions. While composite Fermi liquid CFL/FQAH phases are established in A-A tMoTe2,the A-AB region-effectively an A-A moire bilayer proximitized by a remote B layer-develops a series of topological electronic crystal (TEC, also referred to as generalized QAH crystal, QAHC) states with integer quantized Hall conductance at commensurate fractional fillings v=1/2, 2/3, and an incommensurate filling factor v=0.53.The electrostatic phase diagram is mapped out by combined transport and optical measurements, showing that these TEC states emerge within the first moir'e valence band prior to any charge transfer to the B layer. Exact diagonalization (ED) incorporating the remote-layer-induced intralayer potential demonstrates a transition from a CFL-like manifold in the A-A limit to a Chern number C=1 ground-state consistent with a TEC at v=1/2 , accompanied by the further breakdown of ideal band geometry. Our results provide experimental evidence of quantum geometry-tuned competition between FQAH/CFL and TEC phases in a moir\'e Chern band and pave the way for further exploring correlation-driven topological phenomena by tuning quantum geometry.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Tunable Luttinger liquid and correlated insulating states in one-dimensional moir\'e superlattices

Two-dimensional moir\'e superlattices have been extensively studied, and a variety of correlated phenomena have been observed. However, their lower-dimensional counterpart, one-dimensional (1D) moir\'e superlattices, remain largely unexplored. Electrons in 1D are generally described by Luttinger liquid theory, with universal scaling relations depending only on the Luttinger parameter g. In particular, at half-filling, Umklapp scattering plays a crucial role, as it can significantly change the conductance-temperature scaling relation and lead to Mott insulators. However, this prediction has never been observed since doping an empty band to half-filling was extremely difficult. Here, we show that the marriage of moir\'e superlattices and 1D electrons makes it possible to study the Luttinger liquid in an exceptionally wide filling region simply by electrical gating. We perform transport measurements on 1D moir\'e superlattices of carbon nanotubes on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrates, and observe correlated insulating states at 1/4 and 1/2 fillings of the superlattice mini-band, where Umklapp scattering becomes dominant. We also observe a T-linear conductance at these commensurate fillings over a range of temperatures. Strikingly, the T-linear conductance leads to a strongly suppressed Luttinger parameter, suggesting a state of extreme correlation.

cond-mat.str-el

Reimagining Safety Alignment with An Image

Large language models (LLMs) excel in diverse applications but face dual challenges: generating harmful content under jailbreak attacks and over-refusal of benign queries due to rigid safety mechanisms. These issues are further complicated by the need to accommodate different value systems and precisely align with given safety preferences. Moreover, traditional methods like SFT and RLHF lack this capability due to their costly parameter tuning requirements and inability to support multiple value systems within a single model. These problems are more obvious in multimodal large language models (MLLMs), especially in terms of heightened over-refusal in cross-modal tasks and new security risks arising from expanded attack surfaces. We propose Magic Image, an optimization-driven visual prompt framework that enhances security while reducing over-refusal. By optimizing image prompts using harmful/benign samples, our method enables a single model to adapt to different value systems and better align with given safety preferences without parameter updates. Experiments demonstrate improved safety-effectiveness balance across diverse datasets while preserving model performance, offering a practical solution for deployable MLLM safety alignment.

cs.AI

LLM Jailbreak Detection for (Almost) Free!

Large language models (LLMs) enhance security through alignment when widely used, but remain susceptible to jailbreak attacks capable of producing inappropriate content. Jailbreak detection methods show promise in mitigating jailbreak attacks through the assistance of other models or multiple model inferences. However, existing methods entail significant computational costs. In this paper, we first present a finding that the difference in output distributions between jailbreak and benign prompts can be employed for detecting jailbreak prompts. Based on this finding, we propose a Free Jailbreak Detection (FJD) which prepends an affirmative instruction to the input and scales the logits by temperature to further distinguish between jailbreak and benign prompts through the confidence of the first token. Furthermore, we enhance the detection performance of FJD through the integration of virtual instruction learning. Extensive experiments on aligned LLMs show that our FJD can effectively detect jailbreak prompts with almost no additional computational costs during LLM inference.

cs.CR

Cascade of Even-Denominator Fractional Quantum Hall States in Mixed-Stacked Multilayer Graphene

The fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE), particularly at half-filling of Landau levels, provides a unique window into topological phases hosting non-Abelian excitations. However, experimental platforms simultaneously offering large energy gaps, delicate tunability, and robust non-Abelian signatures remain scarce. Here, we report the observation of a cascade of even-denominator FQH states at filling factors ${\nu}$ = ${-5/2}$, ${-7/2}$, ${-9/2}$, ${-11/2}$, and ${-13/2}$, alongside numerous odd-denominator states in mixed-stacked pentalayer graphene, a previously unexplored system characterized by intertwined quadratic and cubic band dispersions. These even-denominator states, representing the highest filling half-filled states reported so far in the zeroth Landau level (ZLL), emerge from two distinct intra-ZLL and exhibit unprecedented displacement field tunability driven by LL crossings in the hybridized multiband structure. At half fillings, continuous quasiparticle phase transitions between paired FQH states, magnetic Bloch states, and composite Fermi liquids are clearly identified upon tuning external fields. Numerical calculations, revealing characteristic sixfold ground-state degeneracy and chiral graviton spectral analysis, suggest the observed even-denominator FQH states belong to the non-Abelian Moore-Read type. These results establish mixed-stacked multilayer graphene as a rich and versatile crystalline platform for exploring tunable correlated topological phases.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Intrinsic layer polarization and multi-flatband transport in non-centrosymmetric mixed-stacked multilayer graphene

Graphene multilayers exhibit electronic spectra that depend sensitively on both the number of layers and their stacking order. Beyond trilayer graphene, mixed stacking sequences (alternating Bernal and rhombohedral layers) give rise to multiple coexisting low-energy bands. Here we investigate ABCBC-stacked pentalayer graphene, a less-studied non-centrosymmetric mixed sequence. This stacking can be regarded as an ABC (rhombohedral) trilayer on top of an AB (Bernal) bilayer, so its low-energy band structure contains both a cubic band and a parabolic band that hybridize. In transport measurements, we observe an intrinsic band gap at charge neutrality whose magnitude changes asymmetrically under an applied perpendicular displacement field. This behavior reflects the spontaneous layer polarization inherent to the broken inversion symmetry and mirror symmetry. By tuning the displacement field and carrier density, we drive multiple Lifshitz transitions in the Fermi surface topology and realize Landau levels with different degeneracies arising from the multi-flatband system. Remarkably, a v = -6 quantum Hall state emerges at an exceptionally low magnetic field (~20 mT), indicating the interplay between spontaneous symmetry breaking and Berry curvatures. Our results establish mixed-stacked multilayer graphene as a tunable platform with various broken symmetries and multiple flatbands, suitable for exploring emergent correlated electronic states.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Stacking-orientation and twist-angle control on integer and fractional Chern insulators in moir\'e rhombohedral graphene

Rhombohedral-stacked multilayer graphene aligned with hexagonal boron nitride has emerged as an excellent platform for investigating exotic quantum phenomena arising from the interplay between electron correlations and nontrivial topology. However, the microscopic mechanism governing the emergence of both the integer and fractional Chern insulator states in this system remains an open question. In this work, we systematically investigate the electrical transport properties of RMG/hBN moir\'e devices with controlled alignment orientations and twist angles. We demonstrate that alignment orientation strongly modulates correlated phenomena in the moir\'e-proximal regime, while having negligible influence on the formation of integer and fractional Chern insulators in the moir\'e-distant regime. Instead, the moir\'e periodicity, tuned by the twist angle, serves as the key parameter controlling the stability of these correlated topological states in the moir\'e-distant regime. Furthermore, in the moir\'e-proximal regime of one specific alignment, we observe anomalous Hall effect and a variety of competing phases near {\nu} = 1, including integer Chern insulator states, extended Chern insulator states, and trivial insulators, whose stability is highly sensitive to both the applied displacement electric field and magnetic field. Our results underscore the critical role of stacking-alignment and twist-angle engineering in exploring novel quantum states based on rhombohedral-stacked multilayer graphene moir\'e systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Moir\'e 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 moir\'e potential. However, intriguingly, the FQAHE is observed only when electrons are pushed away from the moir\'e interface. The apparently opposite implications from these experimental observations, along with different theoretical models, have sparked intense debates regarding the role of the moir\'e potential. Unambiguous experimental observation of the topological flat band as well as moir\'e 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 moir\'e 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

Switchable Chern insulator, isospin competitions and charge density waves in rhombohedral graphene moire superlattices

Graphene-based moire superlattices provide a versatile platform for exploring novel correlated and topological electronic states, driven by enhanced Coulomb interactions within flat bands. The intrinsic tunability of graphene s multiple degrees of freedom enables precise control over these complex quantum phases. In this study, we observe a range of competing phases and their transitions in rhombohedrally stacked hexalayer graphene on hexagonal boron nitride (r-6G/hBN) moire superlattices. When electrons are polarized away from the moire superlattice, we firstly identify a Chern insulator with reversible Chern numbers at v = 1 (one electron per moire cell), attributed to the competition between bulk and edge magnetizations.Then, we detect transitions between three distinct insulating states at v = 2, driven by vertical displacement field D and vertical magnetic field B. These insulating phases are distinguished as spin-antiferromagnetic, spin-polarized, and valley-polarized insulators, based on their responses to parallel and perpendicular magnetic fields. When electrons are polarized toward the moire superlattice, in a device with large twist angle, insulating states appear at v = 1/3 and 2/3 at zero magnetic field, and v = 1/2 in a magnetic field. Our findings reveal a rich interplay of charge, isospin, topology and magnetic field in rhombohedral graphene moire superlattices.

cond-mat.str-el

Real-space study of zero-field correlation in tetralayer rhombohedral graphene

Rhombohedral graphene (RG) has emerged as a promising platform for exploring exotic quantum phenomena, such as quantum magnetism, unconventional superconductivity, and fractional quantum anomalous Hall effects. Despite its potential, atomic-scale investigations of RG remain limited, hindering a detailed microscopic understanding of the origins of these correlated states. In this study, we employ scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy to probe the intrinsic electronic states in trilayer and tetralayer RG. We identify a correlated insulating state with a 17 meV gap at the charge neutrality point in tetralayer RG, which is absent in the trilayer configuration. This gap is suppressed by applying a perpendicular magnetic field or doping the charge carrier density and does not exhibit inter-valley coherence patterns. We attribute this phenomenon to a symmetry-broken layer antiferromagnetic state, characterized by ferrimagnetic ordering in the outermost layers and antiferromagnetic coupling between them. To further investigate this magnetic correlated state, we conduct local scattering experiments. Within the correlated regime, a bound state emerges around a non-magnetic impurity but is absent near magnetic impurities, suggesting that non-magnetic doping induces a spin texture in the ferrimagnetic surface layers. Outside the correlated regime, Friedel oscillations are observed, allowing precise determination of the band dispersion in tetralayer RG. These findings provide atomic-scale evidences of zero-field correlations in RG and may be extended to study other exotic phases in RG.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Ultra-Long Homochiral Graphene Nanoribbons Grown Within h-BN Stacks for High-Performance Electronics

Van der Waals encapsulation of two-dimensional materials within hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) stacks has proven to be a promising way to create ultrahigh-performance electronic devices. However, contemporary approaches for achieving van der Waals encapsulation, which involve artificial layer stacking using mechanical transfer techniques, are difficult to control, prone to contamination, and unscalable. Here, we report on the transfer-free direct growth of high-quality graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) within h-BN stacks. The as-grown embedded GNRs exhibit highly desirable features being ultralong (up to 0.25 mm), ultranarrow ( < 5 nm), and homochiral with zigzag edges. Our atomistic simulations reveal that the mechanism underlying the embedded growth involves ultralow GNR friction when sliding between AA'-stacked h-BN layers. Using the grown structures, we demonstrate the transfer-free fabrication of embedded GNR field-effect devices that exhibit excellent performance at room temperature with mobilities of up to 4,600 $cm^{2} V^{-1} s^{-1}$ and on-off ratios of up to $10^{6}$. This paves the way to the bottom-up fabrication of high-performance electronic devices based on embedded layered materials.

cond-mat.mes-hall