Abstract
Nanoscale polar structures are essential for understanding polarization processes in low-dimensional systems and offer exciting prospects for high-performance electronics. Here, we reveal the signatures of a flexoelectric polar vortex superstructure in twisted bilayer graphene aligned with hexagonal boron nitride (TBG/hBN), where strong coupling between two moiré patterns induces pronounced structural relaxation. Scanning tunneling microscopy uncovers moiré-scale flat-band bending, distinct from domain-wall-confined polarization in minimally twisted graphene. Theoretical simulations demonstrate that the lowering of point-group symmetry plays a crucial role and indicate that the in-plane polarization field forms an array of polar vortices. Moreover, near the magic angle, the polarization becomes highly gate-tunable and couples to electron correlations, leading to spatially modulated correlated gaps. Our findings establish the coupling of multiple moiré patterns as a powerful strategy for engineering nanoscale polar structures and emergent quantum states.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 5102-5111 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Nano Letters |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 15 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 22 Apr 2026 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- electronic correlation
- flexoelectricity
- polar vortex
- structural relaxation
- twisted graphene system
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