arXiv subjects

K. T. Law

Publications and source records attributed to K. T. Law.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Tunable quantum metric and band topology in bilayer Dirac models

Quantum metric, a fundamental component of quantum geometry, has attracted broad interest in recent years due to its critical role in various quantum phenomena. Meanwhile, band topology, which serves as an important framework in condensed matter physics, has led to the discovery of various topological phases. In this work, we introduce a bilayer Dirac model that allows precise tuning of both properties. Our approach combines two Dirac Hamiltonians with distinct energy scales; one producing relatively dispersive bands and the other yielding relatively flat bands. The dispersive and flat bands are weakly coupled via hybridization $λ$. By inducing a band inversion in the layer subspace, we achieve flexible tuning of band topology across all Altland-Zirnbauer symmetry classes and quantum metric scaling as $g \propto 1/λ^2$ near band inversion point. Using the bilayer Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, we investigate the localization properties of gapless boundary states, which are affected by quantum metric. Our work lays a foundation for exploring the interplay between band topology and quantum metric.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Flat-band Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov State from Quantum Geometric Discrepancy

We propose a new scheme for realizing Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) Cooper pairing states within flat bands, in contrast to the conventional paradigm such as the Zeeman effect. Central to our scheme is the concept of ``quantum geometric discrepancy'' (QGD) that measures differences in the quantum geometry of paired electrons and drives the flat-band FFLO instability. Remarkably, we find that this instability is directly related to a quantum geometric quantity known as ``anomalous quantum distance'', which formally captures QGD. To model both QGD and the anomalous quantum distance, we examine a flat-band electronic Hamiltonian with tunable spin-dependent quantum metrics. Utilizing the band-projection method, we analyze the QGD-induced FFLO instability from pairing susceptibility. Furthermore, we perform mean-field numerical simulations to obtain the phase diagram of the BCS-FFLO transition, which aligns well with our analytical results. Our work demonstrates that QGD offers a general and distinctive mechanism for stabilizing the flat-band FFLO phase.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Disorder-induced diffusion transport in flat-band systems with quantum metric

Our previous understanding of transport in disordered system depends on the assumption that there is a well-defined Fermi velocity. The Fermi velocity determines important length scales in the system such as the diffusion length and localization length. However, nearly flat band materials with vanishing Fermi velocity, it is uncertain how to understand the disorder effects and what quantities determine the characteristic length scales in the system. In the clean limit, it is expected that the bulk transport is absent. In this work, we demonstrate, with a diamond lattice, that disorder can induce diffusion transport in a flat-band system with finite quantum metric. As disorder increases, the bulk transmission channels are activated, and the conductance reaches a maximum before decays inversely with disorder strength. Importantly, via the calculation of the wave-packet dynamics numerically, we show that the quantum metric determines the diffusion length of the system. Analytically, we show that the interplay between the disorder and quantum geometry gives rise to an effective Fermi velocity, as captured by the self-consistent Born approximation. The diffusion coefficient is identified from the Bethe-Salpeter equation under the ladder approximation. Our results reveal a disorder-driven delocalization mechanism in flat-band systems with finite quantum metric which cannot be understood by well-established theories of quantum diffusion. Our theory is important for understanding the disorder effects and transport properties of flat band materials such as twisted bilayer graphene which are current under intense investigation.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Asynchronous mass inversion enriched quantum anomalous Hall states in multilayer graphene

Recently, multilayer graphene systems have attracted significant attention due to the discovery of a variety of intriguing phases, particularly quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) states. In rhombohedral pentalayer graphene (RPG), both QAH states with Chern number $C = -5$ and $C = -3$ have been observed. While the $C = -5$ QAH state is well understood, the origin of the $C = -3$ QAH state remains unclear. In this letter, we propose that the $C = -3$ QAH state, as well as the topological phase transition from $C = -3$ to $C = -5$ state in RPG, arises from an asynchronous mass inversion mechanism driven by the interplay between trigonal warping, staggered layer order, and the displacement field: Trigonal warping splits the low-energy bands of RPG into a central touching point and three satellite Dirac cones. Meanwhile, the coexistence of the staggered layer order and displacement field induces a momentum-dependent effective mass in the low-energy bands. Consequently, mass inversions at the central touching point and the satellite Dirac cones, induced by an increasing displacement field, can occur asynchronously, leading to the formation of the $C = -3$ QAH state and the topological phase transition from QAH state with $C=-3$ to $C=-5$. Additionally, based on this mechanism, we predict the presence of a $C=3$ QAH state in rhombohedral tetralayer graphene (RTG), which can be detected experimentally. Furthermore, this mechanism can also be applied to Bernal tetralayer graphene (BTG), explaining the origin of the observed $C=6$ QAH state.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Layer Pseudospin Superconductivity in Twisted MoTe$_2$

Recent experiments have observed signatures of spin-valley-polarized unconventional superconductivity in twisted bilayer MoTe$_2$ (tMoTe$_2$). Here, we explore the rich physics of superconducting tMoTe$_2$, enabled by its unique layer-pseudospin structure. Within a minimal two-orbital layer-pseudospin model framework, both interlayer and intralayer Cooper pairings can be effectively visualized using a layer-space Bloch sphere representation. Remarkably, we find that interlayer pairing prevails in the spin-valley-polarized state, whereas intralayer pairing dominates in the spin-valley-unpolarized state. Strikingly, we further predict that for spin-valley-polarized intravalley superconducting state, experimentally feasible weak displacement fields can stabilize finite-momentum pairings at low temperatures. Additionally, in-plane magnetic fields, which break three-fold rotational symmetry, induce field-direction-dependent finite-momentum pairing states, leading to a versatile momentum-selection phase diagram. Our work highlights the crucial role of layer pseudospin in tMoTe$_2$'s unconventional superconductivity and demonstrates its unique tunability via external fields.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Topological altermagnetic Josephson junctions

Planar Josephson junctions are pivotal for engineering topological superconductivity, yet are severely hindered by orbital effects induced by in-plane magnetic fields. In this work, we introduce the generic topological altermagnetic Josephson junctions (TAJJs) by leveraging the intrinsic spin-polarized band splitting and zero net magnetization attributes of altermagnets. Our proposed TAJJs effectively mitigate the detrimental orbital effects while robustly hosting Majorana end modes (MEMs) at both ends of the junction. Specifically, we demonstrate that MEMs emerge in $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave TAJJs but vanish in the $d_{xy}$-wave configuration, thereby establishing the crystallographic orientation angle $θ$ of the altermagnet as a novel control parameter of topology. The distinct spin-polarization of the MEMs provides an unambiguous experimental signature for the spin-resolved measurement. Furthermore, by harnessing the synergy between the $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave altermagnet and its superconducting counterpart, our proposal extends to high-$T_c$ platforms naturally. Overall, this work establishes altermagnets as a versatile paradigm for realizing topological superconductivity, bridging conceptual innovations with scalable quantum architectures devoid of orbital effects and stray fields.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Geometric and conventional contributions of superconducting diode effect: Application to flat-band systems

Nonreciprocal critical supercurrents give rise to the superconducting diode effect (SDE) in noncentrosymmetric superconductors when time-reversal symmetry is broken. In this paper, we investigate the SDE in superconductors with vanishing spin-orbit coupling but featuring narrow bands near the Fermi energy -- a characteristic particularly relevant to moiré heterostructures, such as twisted bilayer graphene. Using phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau theory and self-consistent mean-field approaches, we analyze the contributions to the SDE from both conventional band dispersion and quantum geometry. While the conventional SDE arises from the asymmetric Fermi surface, we demonstrate that the quantum metric dipole generates a band quantum-geometric contribution to the SDE, even in systems with symmetric single-particle dispersion. Notably, in the flat-band limit, where the attractive interaction strength significantly exceeds the bandwidth, the contributions from quantum geometry to the supercurrent and diode effect become dominant. Our paper elucidates the conventional and quantum-geometric origins of superconducting nonreciprocity and explores their implications for flat-band superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Pseudo-Ising superconductivity induced by $p$-wave magnetism

Unconventional magnetic orders usually interplay with superconductivity in intriguing ways. Here we propose that a conventional superconductor in proximity to a compensated $p$-wave magnet exhibits behaviors analogous to those of Ising superconductivity found in transition-metal dichalcogenides, which we refer to as pseudo-Ising superconductivity. The pseudo-Ising superconductivity is characterized by several distinctive features: (i) it stays much more robust under strong $p$-wave magnetism than usual ferromagnetism or $d$-wave altermagnetism, thanks to the apparent time-reversal symmetry in $p$-wave spin splitting; (ii) in the low-temperature regime, a second-order superconducting phase transition occurs at a significantly enhanced in-plane upper critical magnetic field $B_{c2}$; (iii) the supercurrent-carrying state establishes non-vanishing out-of-plane spin magnetization, which is forbidden by symmetry in Rahsba and Ising superconductors. We further propose a spin-orbit-free scheme to realize Majorana zero modes by placing superconducting quantum wires on a $p$-wave magnet. Our work establishes a new form of unconventional superconductivity generated by $p$-wave magnetism.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Topological Fermi-arc-like surface states in Kramers nodal line metals

The discovery of Kramers nodal line metals (KNLMs) and Kramers Weyl semimetals (KWSs) has significantly expanded the range of metallic topological materials to all noncentrosymmetric crystals. However, a key characteristic of this topology - the presence of topologically protected surface states in KNLMs - is not well understood. In this work, we use a model of a $C_{1v}$ KNLM with curved Kramers nodal lines (KNLs) to demonstrate that Fermi-arc-like surface states (FALSSs), which have a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ topological origin, appear on surfaces parallel to the mirror plane. These states connect two surface momenta, corresponding to the projections of two touching points on the Fermi surfaces. Notably, as achiral symmetries (mirrors and roto-inversions) are gradually broken, the KNLM transitions into a KWS, allowing the FALSSs to evolve continuously into the Fermi arc states of the KWS. We also explore the conditions under which FALSSs emerge in KNLMs with straight KNLs. Through bulk-boundary correspondence, we clarify the topological nature of KNLMs.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Probing the flat-band limit of the superconducting proximity effect in Twisted Bilayer Graphene Josephson junctions

While extensively studied in normal metals, semimetals and semiconductors, the superconducting (SC) proximity effect remains elusive in the emerging field of flat-band systems. In this study we probe proximity-induced superconductivity in Josephson junctions (JJs) formed between superconducting NbTiN electrodes and twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) weak links. Here the TBG acts as a highly tunable topological flat-band system, which due to its twist-angle dependent bandwidth, allows to probe the SC proximity effect at the crossover from the dispersive to the flat-band limit. Contrary to our original expectations, we find that the SC remains strong even in the flat-band limit, and gives rise to broad, dome shaped SC regions, in the filling dependent phase diagram. In addition, we find that unlike in conventional JJs, the critical current Ic strongly deviates from a scaling with the normal state conductance GN. We attribute these findings to the onset of strong electron interactions, which can give rise to an excess critical current, and also work out the potential importance of quantum geometric terms as well as multiband pairing mechanisms. Our results present the first detailed study of the SC proximity effect in the flat-band limit and shed new light on the mechanisms that drive the formation of SC domes in flat-band systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Anomalous Coherence Length in Superconductors with Quantum Metric

The coherence length $ξ$ is the fundamental length scale of superconductors which governs the sizes of Cooper pairs, vortices, Andreev bound states, and more. In BCS theory, the coherence length is $ξ_\mathrm{BCS} = \hbar v_{F}/Δ$, where $v_{F}$ is the Fermi velocity and $Δ$ is the pairing gap. It is clear that increasing $Δ$ will shorten $ξ_\mathrm{BCS}$. In this work, we show that the quantum metric, which is the real part of the quantum geometric tensor, gives rise to an anomalous contribution to the coherence length. Specifically, $ξ= \sqrt{ξ_\mathrm{BCS}^2 +\ell_{\mathrm{qm}}^{2}}$ for a superconductor where $\ell_{\mathrm{qm}}$ is the quantum metric contribution. In the flat-band limit, $ξ$ does not vanish but is bound below by $\ell_{\mathrm{qm}}$. We demonstrate that under the uniform pairing condition, $\ell_{\mathrm{qm}}$ is controlled by the quantum metric of minimal trace in the flat-band limit. Physically, the Cooper pair size of a superconductor cannot be squeezed down to a size smaller than $\ell_{\mathrm{qm}}$ which is a fundamental length scale determined by the quantum geometry of the wave functions. Lastly, we compute the quantum metric contributions for the family of superconducting moiré graphene materials, demonstrating the significant role played by quantum metric effects in these narrow-band superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Majorana Zero Modes in the Lieb-Kitaev Model with Tunable Quantum Metric

The relation between band topology and Majorana zero energy modes (MZMs) in topological superconductors had been well studied in the past decades. However, the relation between the quantum metric and MZMs has yet to be understood. In this work, we first construct a three band Lieb-like lattice model with an isolated flat band and tunable quantum metric. By introducing nearest neighbor equal spin pairing, we obtain the Lieb-Kitaev model which supports MZMs. When the Fermi energy is set within the flat band energy, the MZMs appear which are supposed to be well-localized at the ends of the 1D superconductor due to the flatness of the band. On the contrary, we show both numerically and analytically that the localization length of the MZMs is controlled by a length scale defined by the quantum metric of the flat band, which we call the quantum metric length (QML). The QML can be several orders of magnitude longer than the conventional BCS superconducting coherence length. When the QML is comparable to the length of the superconductor, the two MZMs from the two ends of the superconductor can hybridize and induce ultra long-range crossed Andreev reflections. This work unveils how the quantum metric can greatly influence the properties of MZMs through the QML and the results can be generalized to other topological bound states.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Nematic Ising superconductivity with hidden magnetism in few-layer 6R-TaS2

In van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs), the manipulation of interlayer stacking/coupling allows for the construction of customizable quantum systems exhibiting exotic physics. An illustrative example is the diverse range of states of matter achieved through varying the proximity coupling between two-dimensional (2D) quantum spin liquid (QSL) and superconductors within the TaS2 family. This study presents a demonstration of the intertwined physics of spontaneous rotational symmetry breaking, hidden magnetism, and Ising superconductivity in the three-fold rotationally symmetric, non-magnetic natural vdWHs 6R-TaS2. A distinctive phase emerges in 6R-TaS2 below a characteristic temperature (T*) of approximately 30 K, which is characterized by a remarkable set of features, including a giant extrinsic anomalous Hall effect (AHE), Kondo screening, magnetic field-tunable thermal hysteresis, and nematic magneto-resistance. At lower temperatures, a coexistence of nematicity and Kondo screening with Ising superconductivity is observed, providing compelling evidence of hidden magnetism within a superconductor. This research not only sheds light on unexpected emergent physics resulting from the coupling of itinerant electrons and localized/correlated electrons in natural vdWHs but also emphasizes the potential for tailoring exotic quantum states through the manipulation of interlayer interactions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Flat band excitons and quantum metric

We discuss the excitons in flat band systems. Quantum metric plays a central role in determining the properties of single exciton excitation as well as the exciton condensate. While the electrons and holes are extremely heavy in flat bands, the excitons (boundstate of an electron-hole pair) could be light and mobile. In particular, we show that the inverse of exciton's effective mass tensor is proportional to the quantum metric tensor. Meanwhile, the flat band excitons have a finite size, lower bounded by the trace of the quantum metric tensor. Given the properties of single exciton excitation, one can argue for the formation of exciton condensate. Because of the quantum metric, the exciton condensate can support dissipationless counterflow supercurrent, implying the stability of exciton condensate.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Flat Band Josephson Junctions with Quantum Metric

In this work, we consider superconductor/flat band material/superconductor (S/FB/S) Josephson junctions (JJs) where the flat band material possesses isolated flat bands with exactly zero Fermi velocity. Contrary to conventional S/N/S JJs where the critical Josephson current vanishes when the Fermi velocity goes to zero, we show in this work that the critical current in the S/FB/S junction is controlled by the quantum metric length $ξ_\mathrm{QM}$ of the flat bands. Microscopically, when $ξ_\mathrm{QM}$ of the flat band is long enough, the interface bound states originally localized at the two S/FB, FB/S interfaces can penetrate deeply into the flat band material and hybridize to form Andreev bound states (ABSs). These ABSs are able to carry long range and sizable supercurrents. Importantly, $ξ_\mathrm{QM}$ also controls how far the proximity effect can penetrate into the flat band material. This stands in sharp contrast to the de Gennes' theory for S/N junctions which predicts that the proximity effect is expected to be zero when the Fermi velocity of the normal metal is zero. We further suggest that the S/FB/S junctions would give rise to a new type of resonant Josephson transistors which can carry sizable and highly gate-tunable supercurrent.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Topological $p_x+ip_y$ inter-valley coherent state in Moiré MoTe$_2$/WSe$_2$ heterobilayers

Recently, a quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) state was observed in AB stacked moiré MoTe$_2$/WSe$_2$ heterobilayers at half-filling. More recent layer-resolved magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements revealed that spin-polarized moiré bands from both the MoTe$_2$ and the WSe$_2$ layers are involved at the formation of the QAH state. This scenario is not expected by existing theories. In this work, we suggest that the observed QAH state is a new state of matter, namely, a topological $p_x+ip_y$ inter-valley coherent state (TIVC). We point out that the massive Dirac spectrum of the MoTe$_2$ moiré bands, together with the Hund's interaction and the Coulomb interactions give rise to this novel QAH state. Through a self-consistent Hartree-Fock analysis, we find a wide range of interaction strengths and displacement fields that the $p_x+ip_y$-pairing phase is energetically favourable. Besides explaining several key features of the experiments, our theory predicts that the order parameter would involve the pairing of electrons and holes with a definite momentum mismatch such that the pairing would generate a new unit cell which is three times the size of the original moiré unit cell, due to the order parameter modulations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Anomalous $h/2e$ periodicity and Majorana zero modes in chiral Josephson junctions

Recent experiments reported that quantum Hall chiral edge state-mediated Josephson junctions (chiral Josephson junctions) could exhibit Fraunhofer oscillations with a periodicity of either $h/e$ [Vignaud \textit{et al}.,~Nature~(2023)] or $h/2e$ [Amet \textit{et al}.,~Science~\textbf{352}~966~(2016)]. While the $h/e$-periodic component of the supercurrent had been anticipated theoretically before, the emergence of the $h/2e$-periodicity is still not fully understood. In this work, we show that the chiral edge states coupled to the superconductors become chiral Andreev edge states. In short junctions, the coupling of the chiral Andreev edge states can cause the $h/2e$-magnetic flux periodicity. Our theory resolves the long-standing puzzle concerning the appearance of the $h/2e$-periodicity in chiral Josephson junctions. Furthermore, we explain that when the chiral Andreev edge state couple, a pair of localized Majorana modes appear at the ends of the Josephson junction, which are robust and independent of the phase difference between the two superconductors. As the $h/2e$-periodicity and the Majorana zero modes have the same physical origin, the Fraunhofer oscillation period can be used to identify the regime with Majorana zero modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Josephson Diode Effect Induced by Valley Polarization in Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Recently, the Josephson diode effect (JDE), in which the superconducting critical current magnitudes differ when the currents flow in opposite directions, has attracted great interest. In particular, it was demonstrated that gate-defined Josephson junctions based on magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene showed a strong nonreciprocal effect when the weak-link region is gated to a correlated insulating state at half-filling (two holes per moiré cell). However, the mechanism behind such a phenomenon is not yet understood. In this work, we show that the interaction-driven valley polarization, together with the trigonal warping of the Fermi surface, induce the JDE. The valley polarization, which lifts the degeneracy of the states in the two valleys, induces a relative phase difference between the first and the second harmonics of supercurrent and results in the JDE. We further show that the nontrivial current phase relation, which is responsible for the JDE, also generates the asymmetric Shapiro steps.

cond-mat.supr-con↗