arXiv subjects

Kenji Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to Kenji Watanabe.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Quantum Transport Spectroscopy of Pseudomagnetic Field in Graphene

Nonuniform strain in graphene acts as a valley-dependent gauge field, generating pseudomagnetic fields (PMFs) that mimic real magnetic fields but preserve global time-reversal symmetry. While local probes have visualized such fields, their quantitative detection via macroscopic transport has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that high-mobility graphene exhibits distinct beating patterns in Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, arising from valley-resolved Landau quantization under different effective magnetic fields. Systematic analysis of these beats reveals universal quadratic and linear scaling of the node carrier density and Landau level filling factor with the applied magnetic field, enabling the extraction of PMFs as small as a few millitesla. Our results establish quantum oscillation spectroscopy as a robust and broadly applicable probe of strain-induced gauge fields in Dirac materials, opening avenues for mechanically tunable valleytronic and straintronic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Resonance fluorescence and indistinguishable photons from a coherently driven B centre in hBN

Optically active defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) have become amongst the most attractive single-photon emitters in the solid state, owing to their high-quality photophysical properties, combined with the unlimited possibilities of integration offered by the host two-dimensional material. In particular, the B centres, with their narrow linewidth, low wavelength spread and controllable positioning, have raised a particular interest for integrated quantum photonics. However, to date, either their excitation or their detection has been performed non-resonantly due to the difficulty of rejecting the backreflected laser light at the same wavelength, thereby preventing to take full benefit from their high coherence in quantum protocols. Here, we make use of a narrow-linewidth emitter integrated in a hybrid metal-dielectric structure to implement crossed-polarisation laser rejection. This allows us to observe resonantly scattered photons, with associated experimental signatures of optical coherence in both continuous-wave (cw) and pulsed regimes, respectively the Mollow triplet and Hong-Ou-Mandel interference from zero-phonon-line emission. The measured two-photon interference visibility of 0.93 +/- 0.21 and 0.92 +/- 0.26 we measured for two emitters demonstrate the potential of B centres in hBN for applications to integrated quantum information.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2025

Signatures of magnetism in zigzag graphene nanoribbon embedded in h-BN lattice

Zigzag edges of graphene have long been predicted to exhibit magnetic electronic state near the Fermi level, which can cause spin-related phenomena and offer unique potentials for graphene-based spintronics. However, the magnetic conduction channels along these edges have yet been reported experimentally. Here, we report the observation on signatures of magnetism in zigzag graphene nanoribbons (zGNRs) embedded in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). The in-plane bonding with BN can stabilize the edges of zGNRs, and thus enable a direct probing of the intrinsic magnetism. Firstly, the presence of magnetism of a zGNR was confirmed by scanning NV center microscopy. And then, zGNR was fabricated into a transistor with a width of ~9 nm wide and a channel length of sub-50 nm. By performing magneto-transport measurements, Fabry-Pérot interference patterns were observed in the transistor at 4 Kelvin, which indicates a coherent transport through the channel. A large magnetoresistance of ~175 Ω, corresponding to a ratio of ~1.3 %, was observed at the same temperature. More importantly, such magneto-transport signal is highly anisotropic on the magnetic field direction, and its appearance extends well above room temperature. All these evidences corroborate the existence of robust magnetic ordering in the edge state of zGNR. The findings on zGNR embedded in h-BN provide an effective platform for the future exploration of graphene-based spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Tunable Luttinger liquid and correlated insulating states in one-dimensional moiré superlattices

Two-dimensional moiré superlattices have been extensively studied, and a variety of correlated phenomena have been observed. However, their lower-dimensional counterpart, one-dimensional (1D) moiré 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 moiré 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 moiré 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↗

arXiv2025

Topological Valley Transport in Bilayer Graphene Induced by Interlayer Sliding

Interlayer sliding, together with twist angle, is a crucial parameter that defines the atomic registry and thus determines the properties of two-dimensional (2D) material homobilayers. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that controlled interlayer sliding in bilayer graphene induces Berry curvature reversals, leading to topological states confined within a one-dimensional moiré channel. We experimentally realize interlayer sliding by bending the bilayer graphene geometry across a nanoridge. Systematic electronic transport measurements reveal topological valley transport when the Fermi energy resides within the band gap, consistent with theoretical predictions of eight topological channels. Our findings establish interlayer sliding as a powerful tool for tuning the electronic properties of bilayer graphene and underscore its potential for broad application across 2D material systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Visualizing interaction-driven restructuring of quantum Hall edge states

Many topological phases host gapless boundary modes that can be dramatically modified by electronic interactions. Even for the long-studied edge modes of quantum Hall phases, forming at the boundaries of two-dimensional (2D) electron systems, the nature of such interaction-induced changes has been elusive. Despite advances made using local probes, key experimental challenges persist: the lack of direct information about the internal structure of edge states on microscopic scales, and complications from edge disorder. Here, we use scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to image pristine electrostatically defined quantum Hall edge states in graphene with high spatial resolution and demonstrate how correlations dictate the structures of edge channels on both magnetic and atomic length scales. For integer quantum Hall states in the zeroth Landau level, we show that interactions renormalize the edge velocity, dictate the spatial profile for copropagating modes, and induce unexpected edge valley polarization that differ from those of the bulk. While some of our findings can be understood by mean-field theory, others show breakdown of this picture, highlighting the roles of edge fluctuations and inter-channel couplings. We also extend our measurements to spatially resolve the edge state of fractional quantum Hall phases and detect spectroscopic signatures of interactions in this chiral Luttinger liquid. Our study establishes STM as a promising tool for exploring edge physics of the rapidly expanding 2D topological phases, including newly realized fractional Chern insulators.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Ten-valley excitonic complexes in charge-tunable monolayer WSe$_2$

Excitons dominate the optical response of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors. Strong interactions produce peculiar excitonic complexes, which provide a testing ground for exciton and quantum many-body theories. Here, we report a hitherto unobserved many-body exciton that emerges upon filling both the K and Q valleys of WSe$_2$. We optically probe the exciton landscape using charge-tunable devices with unusually thin dielectrics that facilitate doping up to several $10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$. We observe the emergence of the thermodynamically stable complex when 10 valleys are electrostatically filled. We gain insight into its physics using magneto-optical measurements. Our results are well-described by a model where the number of distinguishable Fermi seas interacting with the photoexcited electron-hole pair defines the complex's behavior. In addition to expanding the repertoire of excitons in 2D semiconductors, this complex could probe the limit of exciton models and answer open questions about screened Coulomb interactions in 2D semiconductors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Emergent electronic insulating states in a one-dimensional moiré superlattice

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) moiré superlattices have provided a powerful knob to engineer a plethora of new quantum states. However, extending such moiré engineering to one-dimensional (1D) vdW systems has remained challenging. Here we report the moiré-engineered electronic insulating states in a new 1D moiré superlattice, by crystallographically aligning an armchair single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) to 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) substrate. Remarkably, we observe the emergence of pronounced insulating states at charge neutrality point (CNP), full and half moiré fillings in lattice-aligned armchair SWNT/hBN heterostructures by low-temperature electrical transport measurements. In strong contrast, armchair SWNT devices without hBN alignment do not show any of these insulating behaviors, providing compelling evidence for the significant 1D moiré effect. Our density functional theory (DFT) and tight-binding calculations reveal that synergetic nanotube partial flattening and in-plane lattice reconstruction at 1D moiré interface expand the most stable AB' stacking regions (carbon on top of boron) and open sizable band gaps at both CNP and full moiré fillings at the single-particle level. Our one-body theory predicts no band gaps at half moiré fillings, suggesting that electron correlation and/or electron-phonon interaction may give rise to these emergent insulating behaviors in our 1D moiré systems. Our work establishes a new and definite moiré engineering route for 1D vdW materials and opens an exciting avenue for exploring interaction-induced quantum phases in 1D.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

AC magnetometry of van der Waals magnets using ultrasensitive Graphene Hall sensors

Probing the dynamical magnetic properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials requires sensitive techniques capable of detecting small magnetic fields from nanoscale samples. We demonstrate quantitative AC and DC magnetometry of a ferromagnetic Fe3-xGeTe2 nanoflakes using ultrasensitive graphene Hall sensors. These devices achieve record-low magnetic field detection noise at both cryogenic and room temperature, enabled by hBN encapsulation, low-resistance fluorographene contacts, and a novel fabrication process. We perform quantitative AC susceptibility measurements up to 1 kHz, resolving both real and imaginary components with nanotesla-scale sensitivity and milliradian phase accuracy, the first such measurement in a van der Waals magnet. Our results establish graphene Hall sensors as a powerful and broadly applicable platform for studying magnetic and superconducting phases near the 2D limit.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Stacking-orientation and twist-angle control on integer and fractional Chern insulators in moiré 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 moiré devices with controlled alignment orientations and twist angles. We demonstrate that alignment orientation strongly modulates correlated phenomena in the moiré-proximal regime, while having negligible influence on the formation of integer and fractional Chern insulators in the moiré-distant regime. Instead, the moiré periodicity, tuned by the twist angle, serves as the key parameter controlling the stability of these correlated topological states in the moiré-distant regime. Furthermore, in the moiré-proximal regime of one specific alignment, we observe anomalous Hall effect and a variety of competing phases near ν = 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 moiré systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Magnetoelectric Switching of Magnetic Order in Rhombohedral Graphene

A finite Hall conductance under zero magnetic field implies time reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking due to magnetic order. In rhombohedral stacked multilayer graphene, the angular momentum that breaks TRS can result from the orbital degree of freedom at the $K$ and $K'$ valleys. This leads to valley polarization and occupation-dependent anomalous Hall resistance (AHR) due to the chirality in Berry curvature at the valleys. We report magnetoelectric control of orbital magnetic order in crystalline rhombohedral hexalayer graphene (R6G), achieved without the introduction of a moiré superlattice. At moderate displacement fields and low carrier densities, we observe a non-volatile and hysteretic AHR that can be electrically toggled by sweeping either the carrier density or the displacement field. Upon the application of small perpendicular magnetic fields, the system reveals a characteristic double sign reversal of the AHR, indicating a competition between distinct magnetic ground states. This interplay between valley polarization and electric and magnetic field tuning demonstrates the rich multiferroic behavior of R6G. Our findings present crystalline R6G as a minimal, tunable platform for studying symmetry-breaking phases and magnetic order in flat-band systems, offering insights into the coupling between electronic structure and magnetoelectric response.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Spin-valley 0.7 anomaly in bilayer graphene/WSe$_2$ quantum point contacts

We report a well-resolved 0.7 conductance anomaly at $G = 0.7\times(2e^2/h)$ in bilayer graphene/WSe$_2$ quantum point contacts. Proximity-enhanced spin-orbit coupling splits the four-fold ground state of bilayer graphene into well-separated spin-valley locked Kramers doublets. The anomaly emerges between these opposite spin-valley states. Despite fundamentally different band structure and wavefunction characteristics, the temperature and bias phenomenology closely mirror GaAs systems. In contrast, the parallel magnetic field response differs significantly, confirming the central role of valley degrees of freedom. This opens new pathways to study valley-exchange correlation physics in regimes inaccessible to conventional semiconductors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

High luminescence efficiency of multi-valley excitonic complexes in heavily doped WSe2 monolayer

Monolayers of group-VI transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are two-dimensional semiconductors that exhibit exceptionally strong light-matter coupling yet typically suffer from low emission quantum yields. In this letter, we investigate the heavily n-doped regime of a WSe$_2$ monolayer and show that multi-particle excitonic complexes produce photoluminescence signals up to two orders of magnitude stronger than in the neutral state. Time-resolved photoluminescence and differential reflectivity measurements reveal that the quantum yield rises with carrier density and exceeds 50% for electron concentrations above 10$^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$. These findings establish TMD monolayers as a platform for exploring excitonic complexes in high-density electron gases and point toward new opportunities for efficient, atomically thin light emitters.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Giant field-tunable nonlinear Hall effect by Lorentz skew scattering in a graphene moire superlattice

The nonlinear Hall effect (NHE) can enable rectification and energy harvesting, and its control by external fields, including gate, strain and magnetic field, has been pursued intensively. However, existing tuning pathways rely predominantly on fully quantum mechanical effects and are typically inefficient, resulting in weak NHE signals that limit further progress. In this work, we report the discovery of a distinct type of NHE in a graphene-hBN moire superlattice, which arises from a classical-quantum cooperative effect called Lorentz skew scattering (LSK), induced by a perpendicular magnetic field. This field-driven NHE exhibits a linear dependence on magnetic field and a pronounced unidirectional angular dependence. Remarkably, its magnitude reaches up to 32% of the linear Hall signal. We show that this giant, field-tunable NHE originating from LSK follows a unique quartic scaling law and produces a record-high nonlinear Hall conductivity (36000 μmV-1Ω-1) near van Hove singularities of moire minibands, which is over an order of magnitude larger than all previously reported NHEs. Our findings establish an efficient, magnetic-field-driven route to giant Hall rectification in high-mobility materials, offering a broadly applicable paradigm for modulating the NHE beyond electrostatic gating.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Phason-driven temperature-dependent transport in moiré graphene

The electronic and vibrational properties of 2D materials are dramatically altered by the formation of a moiré superlattice. The lowest-energy phonon modes of the superlattice are two acoustic branches (called phasons) that describe the sliding motion of one layer with respect to the other. Considering their low-energy dispersion and damping, these modes may act as a significant source of scattering for electrons in moiré materials. Here, we investigate temperature-dependent electrical transport in minimally twisted bilayer graphene, a moiré system developing multiple weakly-dispersive electronic bands and a reconstructed lattice structure. We measure a linear-in-temperature resistivity across the band manyfold above $T\sim{10}$ K, preceded by a quadratic temperature dependence. While the linear-in-temperature resistivity is up to two orders of magnitude larger than in monolayer graphene, it is reduced (approximately by a factor of three) with respect to magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene. Moreover, it is modulated by the recursive band filling, with minima located close to the full filling of each band. Comparing our results with a semiclassical transport calculation, we show that the experimental trends are compatible with scattering processes mediated by longitudinal phasons, which dominate the resistivity over the contribution from conventional acoustic phonons of the monolayer. Our findings highlight the close relation between vibrational modes unique to moiré materials and carrier transport therein.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Single-Ion Sensing in Liquid Using Fluorescent h-BN Point Defects

Understanding the chemical state of individual ions in solutions is crucial for advancing knowledge of complex systems. However, sensing systems at the single-ion level in liquid environments remains a significant challenge. A strategy is introduced that leverages the optical emission properties of point defects in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as single ion sensors. The interaction of optically active h-BN defects with ions in solution leads to distinct spectral shifts, enabling precise visualization and analyzing of individual ions. Using Li+ ions in organic electrolytes as a model, spectral shifts exceeding 10 nm were observed upon ion addition. Application of an external electric field further enhanced these shifts to over 40 nm, enabling real-time monitoring of electrical field induced local perturbations of Li+ ions. Through this approach, individual point defects were shown to spectroscopically distinguish ions of varying charges (e.g., Na+, Mg2+, and Al3+) based on their local electrical field, each producing a distinct spectral shift. This platform allows direct sensing of ions and their chemical states in liquid environments, providing insights into subtle interfacial changes at the single-ion level, with measurable spectral shifts detectable at millisecond temporal resolution and at concentrations down to 10 micromolar range. This capability presents potential applications in various fields involving ions in liquids that include battery technology and environmental science.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Thermoelectricity of moiré heavy fermions in MoTe2/WSe2 bilayers

Tunable Kondo lattice and heavy fermion physics have been recently reported in moiré materials, but most of the studies have focused on the electrical and magnetic properties. Quantitative thermoelectric measurements, which can reveal entropic information of the heavy fermions, have yet to be achieved. Here, we report a comprehensive thermoelectric study on the moiré heavy fermion phase realized in hole-doped angle-aligned MoTe2/WSe2 bilayers. By electrically gating the material to the Kondo lattice region of the phase diagram, we observe a sign change in the Seebeck coefficient near the Kondo coherence temperature, where the heavy fermion phase with an electron-like Fermi surface evolves into an itinerant Fermi liquid with a hole-like Fermi surface. We compare the results with the semiclassical Mott relation and discuss the observed discrepancies. In addition to the thermal dissociation of Kondo singlets in the heavy Fermi liquid, a sign change accompanied by a strong peak in the Seebeck coefficient is also observed near a Zeeman breakdown of the Kondo singlets, signaling an entropy accumulation. Our results provide entropic information on both the formation and breakdown of heavy fermions in moiré semiconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Defect Engineered Hexagonal-Boron Nitride Enables Ionic Conduction for Lithium Metal Batteries

The practical implementation of lithium-metal anodes has been hindered by uncontrollable dendrite formation and interfacial instability. This study presents a defect-engineering approach of a chemically stable and electrically insulating interfacial layer of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) that markedly enhances ionic conductivity through argon ion irradiation. Initially, the electrochemical performance from commercially available, large-area chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown h-BN films with industrial-scale argon ion implantation motivated our subsequent detailed investigations using lab-scale exfoliated single-crystal h-BN flakes. Integration of these exfoliated flakes into a hybrid microfluidic-microelectronic chip provided direct evidence that controlled vacancy defects transform h-BN into an efficient lithium-ion conductor while preserving its intrinsic electrical insulation. Experimental validation confirmed improved lithium-metal anode stability, achieving dendrite-free cycling with Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiencies exceeding 99.5% about 1000 cycles. Further assemble of irradiated h-BN in lithium-sulfur batteries effectively mitigates the polysulfide shuttle effect, sustaining over 97% specific capacity around 300 cycles. These results establish a robust, scalable interface-engineering route for next-generation lithium-metal batteries that combine high ionic transport with excellent electrical insulation.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗