arXiv subjects

K. Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to K. Watanabe.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Thermopower probing emergent local moments in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene

Recent experiments on magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBLG) have revealed the formation of flatbands, suggesting that correlation effects are likely to dominate in this system. Yet, a global transport measurement showing distinct signatures of strong correlations like local moments arising from the flatbands is missing. Utilizing thermopower as a sensitive global transport probe for measuring entropy, we unveil the presence of emergent local moments through their impact on entropy. Remarkably, in addition to sign changes at the Dirac point ($ν= 0$) and full band filling ($ν= \pm 4$), the thermopower of MATBLG demonstrates additional sign changes at the location, $ν_{cross} \sim \pm 1$, which do not vary with temperature from $5K$ to $\sim 60K$. This is in contrast to sensitive temperature-dependent crossing points seen in our study on twisted bilayer graphene devices with weaker correlations. Further, we have investigated the effect of magnetic field ($B$) on the thermopower, both $B_{\parallel}$ and $B_{\perp}$. Our results show a $30\%$ and $50\%$ reduction, respectively, that is consistent with suppression seen in the layered oxide due to the partial polarization of the spin entropy. The observed robust crossing points, together with suppression in a magnetic field, cannot be explained solely from the contributions of band fermions; instead, our data is consistent with the dominant contribution arising from the entropy of the emergent localized moments of a strongly correlated flatband.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Impact of the angular alignment on the crystal field and intrinsic doping of bilayer graphene/BN heterostructures

The ability to tune the energy gap in bilayer graphene makes it the perfect playground for the study of the effects of internal electric fields, such as the crystalline field, which are developed \Reb{when other layered materials are deposited on top of it}. Here, we introduce a novel device architecture allowing a simultaneous control over the applied displacement field and the crystalline alignment between two materials. Our experimental and numerical results confirm that the crystal field and electrostatic doping due to the interface reflect the 120$^{\circ}$ symmetry of the bilayer graphene/BN heterostructure and are highly affected by the commensurate state. These results provide an unique insight into the role of twist angle in the development of internal crystal fields and intrinsic electrostatic doping in heterostructures. Our results highlight the importance of layer alignment, beyond the existence of a moiré superlattice, to understand the intrinsic properties of a heterostructure.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Non-Reciprocal Current-Phase Relation and Superconducting Diode Effect in Topological-Insulator-Based Josephson Junctions

Josephson junctions (JJ) are essential for superconducting quantum technologies and searches of self-conjugate quasiparticles, pivotal for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Measuring the current-phase relation (CPR) in JJ based on topological insulators (TI) can provide critical insights into unconventional phenomena in these systems, such as the presence of Majorana bound states (MBS) and the nature of non-reciprocal transport. However, reconstructing CPR as a function of magnetic field in such JJs has remained experimentally challenging. Here, we introduce a platform for precise CPR measurements in planar JJs composed of NbSe$_2$ and few layer thick Bi$_2$Se$_3$ (TI) as a function of magnetic field. When a single flux quantum $Φ_\mathrm{0}$ threads the junction, we observe anomalous peak-dip-shaped CPR behaviour and non-reciprocal supercurrent flow. We demonstrate that these anomalies stem from the edge-amplified sloped supercurrent profile rather than MBS signatures often invoked to explain puzzles emerging near $Φ_\mathrm{0}$ in TI-based JJ. Furthermore, we show that such a supercurrent profile gives rise to a previously overlooked, robust and tunable Josephson diode effect. These findings establish field-dependent CPR measurements as a critical tool for exploring topological superconducting devices and offer new design principles for non-reciprocal superconducting electronics.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

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↗

arXiv2025

Spin-valley polarization control in WSe$_2$ monolayers using photochemical doping

We report on the influence of a photochemical doping method on the spin-valley polarization degree ($P_{c}$) of excitons in WSe$_2$ monolayers. By varying the carrier density and transitioning from an excess of electrons (n-type) to an excess of holes (p-type), we observe a non-monotonic dependence of $P_{c}$ on the doping level. Using controlled, single-shot photochlorination steps, we unveil this non-monotonic behavior, with $P_{c}$ reaching a minimum value of less than 10$\%$ at 78 K near the charge neutrality point, while increasing by a factor of three at a hole density of $5 \times 10^{11} \,\mathrm{cm^{-2}}$. The impact of the doping on $P_{c}$ is explained using a phenomenological model that accounts for various mechanisms influencing exciton polarization dynamics, including exciton-carrier scattering processes and exciton-to-trion conversion rates. Among these, exciton-carrier collisions emerge as the dominant mechanism driving the observed variations in $P_{c}$, while the exciton effective lifetime remains nearly independent of doping. These findings highlight the potential of photochemical methods for investigating valley physics and for effectively tuning the exciton polarization degree in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Brightened emission of dark trions in transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers

The optical emission spectra of semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers highlight fascinating recombination processes of charged excitons (trions). When charge tunable WSe$_2$ monolayers are moderately doped with electrons, a strong luminescence peak emerges just below the well-understood spectral lines associated with the recombination of negatively charged bright and dark trions. Despite previous investigations, its origin remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that this luminescence peak is the result of electron-electron assisted recombination that brightens the dark trion emission. Supporting evidence for this second-order recombination process comes from identifying the brightened emission of positively charged dark trions when the monolayer is electrostatically doped with holes. Remarkably, the discovered hole-hole assisted luminescence peak emerges in the near infrared, about 500 meV below the well-studied spectral region of excitons and trions. In magneto-photoluminescence experiments we find that the $g$-factor of this new transition ($g$ = +4) has an opposite sign compared to the well-known $g$-factor of neutral or charged excitons. This allows us to propose a mechanism of brightening of the positively charged dark trion involving the $Γ$ valence band.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Emission and Coherent Control of Levitons in Graphene

Flying qubits encode quantum information in propagating modes instead of stationary discrete states. Although photonic flying qubits are available, the weak interaction between photons limits the efficiency of conditional quantum gates. Conversely, electronic flying qubits can use Coulomb interactions, but the weaker quantum coherence in conventional semiconductors has hindered their realization. In this work, we engineered on-demand injection of a single electronic flying qubit state and its manipulation over the Bloch sphere. The flying qubit is a Leviton propagating in quantum Hall edge channels of a high-mobility graphene monolayer. Although single-shot qubit readout and two-qubit operations are still needed for a viable manipulation of flying qubits, the coherent manipulation of an itinerant electronic state at the single-electron level presents a highly promising alternative to conventional qubits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Josephson junctions based on ultraclean carbon nanotubes

We present a technique for integrating ultraclean carbon nanotubes into superconducting circuits, aiming to realize Josephson junctions based on one-dimensional elementary quantum conductors. This technique primarily involves depositing the nanotube in the final step, thus preserving it from the inherent contaminations of nanofabrication and maintaining contact solely with superconducting electrodes and a crystalline hBN substrate. Through transport measurements performed in both the normal and superconducting states, we demonstrate that our method yields high-quality junctions with Josephson energies suitable for quantum device applications, such as carbon nanotube-based superconducting qubits.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Impact of Device Resistances in the Performance of Graphene-based Terahertz Photodetectors

In recent years, graphene Field-Effect-Transistors (GFETs) have demonstrated an outstanding potential for Terahertz (THz) photodetection due to their fast response and high-sensitivity. Such features are essential to enable emerging THz applications, including 6G wireless communications, quantum information, bioimaging and security. However, the overall performance of these photodetectors may be utterly compromised by the impact of internal resistances presented in the device, so-called access or parasitic resistances. In this work, we provide a detailed study of the influence of internal device resistances in the photoresponse of high-mobility dual-gate GFET detectors. Such dual-gate architectures allow us to fine tune (decrease) the internal resistance of the device by an order of magnitude and consequently demonstrate an improved responsivity and noise-equivalent-power values of the photodetector, respectively. Our results can be well understood by a series resistance model, as shown by the excellent agreement found between the experimental data and theoretical calculations. These findings are therefore relevant to understand and improve the overall performance of existing high-mobility graphene photodetectors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Electroluminescence and Energy Transfer Mediated by Hyperbolic Polaritons

Under high electrical current, some materials can emit electromagnetic radiation beyond incandescence. This phenomenon, referred to as electroluminescence, leads to the efficient emission of visible photons and is the basis of domestic lighting devices (e.g., light-emitting diodes). In principle, electroluminescence can lead to mid-infrared (mid-IR) emission of confined light-matter excitations called phonon-polaritons, resulting from the coupling of photons with crystal lattice vibrations (optical phonons). In particular, phonon-polaritons arising in the van der Waals crystal hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) exhibit hyperbolic dispersion, which enhances light-matter coupling. For this reason, electroluminescence of hyperbolic phonon-polaritons (HPhPs) has been proposed as an explanation for the peculiar radiative energy transfer within hBN-encapsulated graphene transistors. However, since HPhPs are confined, they are inaccessible in the far-field, so that any hint of electroluminescence is only based on indirect electronic signatures and needs to be confirmed by direct observation. Here, we demonstrate far-field mid-IR (λ = 6.5 μm) electroluminescence of HPhPs excited by strongly biased high-mobility graphene within a van der Waals heterostructure, and we quantify the associated radiative energy transfer through the material. The presence of HPhPs is revealed via far-field mid-IR spectroscopy due to their elastic scattering at discontinuities in the heterostructure. The associated radiative flux is quantified by mid-IR pyrometry of the substrate receiving the energy. This radiative energy transfer is shown to be reduced in hBN with nanoscale inhomogeneities, demonstrating the central role of the electromagnetic environment in this process.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Optical response of WSe$_2$-based vertical tunneling junction

Layered materials have attracted significant interest because of their unique properties. Van der Waals heterostructures based on transition-metal dichalcogenides have been extensively studied because of potential optoelectronic applications. We investigate the optical response of a light-emitting tunneling structure based on a WSe\textsubscript{2} monolayer as an active emission material using the photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) experiments performed at low temperature of 5~K. We found that the application of the bias voltage allows us to change both a sign and a value of free carriers concentrations. Consequently, we address the several excitonic complexes emerging in PL spectra under applied bias voltage. The EL signal was also detected and ascribed to the emission in a high-carrier-concentration regime. The results show that the excitation mechanisms in the PL and EL are different, resulting in various emissions in both types of experimental techniques.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Composite fermions and parton wavefunctions in twisted graphene on hexagonal boron nitride

In a twisted graphene on hexagonal Boron Nitride, the presence of a gap and the breaking of the symmetry between carbon sublattices leads to multicomponent fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) due to the electrons correlation. We report on the FQHE at filling factors nu = k/2 and nu = k/3 with nu > 1, and on the composite fermions at in the nu < 1 lowest landau Level nu = 4/5, 5/7 and 2/3. These fractional states can be described with a partons model, in which the electron is broken down into sub-particles each one residing in an integer quantum Hall effect state; partons are fictitious particles that, glued back together, recover the physical electrons. The parton states host exotic anyons that could potentially form building blocks of a fault-tolerant topological quantum computer.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Limits on the Low-Energy Electron Antineutrino Flux from the Brightest GRB of All Time

The electron antinuetrino flux limits are presented for the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) of all time, GRB221009A, over a range of 1.8-200 MeV using the Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Anti Neutrino Detector (KamLAND). Using a variety of time windows to search for electron antineutrinos coincident with the GRB, we set an upper limit on the flux under the assumption of various neutrino source spectra. No excess was observed in any time windows ranging from seconds to days around the event trigger time. The limits are compared to the results presented by IceCube.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

Absence of heat flow in ν = 0 quantum Hall ferromagnet in bilayer graphene

The charge neutrality point of bilayer graphene, denoted as ν = 0 state, manifests competing phases marked by spontaneously broken isospin (spin/valley/layer) symmetries under external magnetic and electric fields. However, due to their electrically insulating nature, identifying these phases through electrical conductance measurements remains challenging. A recent theoretical proposal introduces a novel approach, employing thermal transport measurements to detect these competing phases. Here, we experimentally explore the bulk thermal transport of the ν = 0 state in bilayer graphene to investigate its ground states and collective excitations associated with isospin. While the theory anticipates a finite thermal conductance in the ν = 0 state, our findings unveil an absence of detectable thermal conductance. Through variations in the external electric field and temperature-dependent measurements, our results suggest towards gapped collective excitations at ν = 0 state. Our findings underscore the necessity for further investigations into the nature of ν = 0.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Electric field tunable superconductivity with competing orders in twisted bilayer graphene near magic-angle

Superconductivity (SC) in twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) has been explored by varying carrier concentrations, twist angles, and screening strength, with the aim of uncovering its origin and possible connections to strong electronic correlations in narrow bands and various resulting broken symmetries. However, the link between the tBLG band structure and the onset of SC and other orders largely remains unclear. In this study, we address this crucial gap by examining in-situ band structure tuning of a near magic-angle ($θ\approx0.95^\circ$) tBLG device with displacement field ($D$) and reveal remarkable competition between SC and other broken symmetries. At zero $D$, the device exhibits superconducting signatures without the resistance peak at half-filling, a characteristic signature with a strong electronic correlation. As $D$ increases, the SC is suppressed, accompanied by the appearance of a resistance peak at half-filling. Hall density measurements reveal that at zero $D$, SC arises around the van Hove singularity (vHs) from an isospin or spin-valley unpolarized band. At higher $D$, the suppression of SC coincides with broken isospin symmetry near half-filling with lifted degeneracy ($g_d \sim 2$). Additionally, as the SC phase becomes weaker with $D$, vHs shifts to higher fillings, highlighting the modification of the underlying band structure with the applied electric field. These findings, with recent theoretical study on SC in tBLG, highlight the competition, rather being connected concomitantly, between SC and other orders promoted by broken symmetries.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Gate-tunable giant superconducting nonreciprocal transport in few-layer $T_{\rm d}$-MoTe$_2$

We demonstrate gate-tunable giant field-dependent nonreciprocal transport (magnetochiral anisotropy) in a noncentrosymmetric superconductor $T_{\rm d}$-MoTe$_2$ in the thin limit. Giant magnetochiral anisotropy (MCA) with a rectification coefficient $γ$ = $3.1 \times 10^6$ T$^{-1}$ A$^{-1}$, is observed at 230 mK, below the superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$). This is one of the largest values reported so far and is likely attributed to the reduced symmetry of the crystal structure. The temperature dependence of $γ$ indicates that the ratchet-like motion of magnetic vortices is the origin of the MCA, as supported by our theoretical model. For bilayer $T_{\rm d}$-MoTe$_2$, we successfully perform gate control of the MCA and realize threefold modulation of $γ$. Our experimental results provide a new route to realizing electrically controllable superconducting rectification devices in a single material.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Infrared spectroscopy of phase transitions in the lowest Landau levels of bilayer graphene

We perform infrared magneto-spectroscopy of Landau level (LL) transitions in dual-gated bilayer graphene. At $ν=4$ when the zeroth LL (octet) is filled, two resonances are observed indicating the opening of a gap. At $ν=0$ when the octet is half-filled, multiple resonances disperse non-monotonically with increasing displacement field, $D$, perpendicular to the sheet, showing a phase transition at modest displacement fields from a canted anti-ferromagnet (CAFM) to the layer-polarized state, with a gap that opens linearly in $D$. When $D=0$ and $ν$ is varied, resonances at $\pmν$ show an electron-hole asymmetry with multiple line splittings as the octet is progressively filled. The $ν=4$ data show good agreement with predictions from a mean-field Hartree-Fock calculation when accounting for multiple tight-binding terms in a four-band model of bilayer graphene. However even by incorporating a valley interaction anisotropy tuned to the CAFM ground state, only partial agreement is found at $ν=0$. Our results suggest additional physics is required to understand bilayer graphene at half-filling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Frustrated hopping from orbital decoration of a primitive two-dimensional lattice

Materials hosting flat electronic bands are a central focus of condensed matter physics as promising venues for novel electronic ground states. Two-dimensional (2D) geometrically frustrated lattices such as the kagome, dice, and Lieb lattices are attractive targets in this direction, anticipated to realize perfectly flat bands. Synthesizing these special structures, however, poses a formidable challenge, exemplified by the absence of solid-state materials realizing the dice and Lieb lattices. An alternative route leverages atomic orbitals to create the characteristic electron hopping of geometrically frustrated lattices. This strategy promises to expand the list of candidate materials to simpler structures, but is yet to be demonstrated experimentally. Here, we report the realization of frustrated hopping in the van der Waals (vdW) intermetallic Pd$_5$AlI$_2$, emerging from orbital decoration of a primitive square lattice. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and quantum oscillations measurements, we demonstrate that the band structure of Pd$_5$AlI$_2$ includes linear Dirac-like bands intersected at their crossing point by a flat band, essential characteristics of frustrated hopping in the Lieb and dice lattices. Moreover, Pd$_5$AlI$_2$ is exceptionally stable, with the unusual bulk band structure and metallicity persisting in ambient conditions down to the monolayer limit. Our ability to realize an electronic structure characteristic of geometrically frustrated lattices establishes orbital decoration of primitive lattices as a new approach towards electronic structures that remain elusive to prevailing lattice-centric searches.

cond-mat.str-el↗