Tunable Twistronics: local tuning and probing of topological edge states and superconductivity in bilayer graphene

Principal investigators

  1. Benoit Hackens, Université Catholique de Louvain, benoit.hackens (at) uclouvain.be [webpage]
  2. Rebeca Ribeiro-Palau, CNRS-C2N, rebeca.ribeiro (at) c2n.upsaclay.fr [webpage]
  3. Christoph Stampfer, RWTH Aachen University, stampfer (at) physik.rwth-aachen.de [webpage]

teaser picture

Abstract

The goal of this project is to provide a thorough understanding of the nature of the superconducting state and of topologically protected channels in twisted bilayer graphene (BLG), with the prospect of building clean junctions between different states using only twisted BLG. First, we will investigate the dependence of the superconducting state and of the topological channels on the twist angle between the layers, as well as their spatial homogeneity and robustness against local variations of the electromagnetic environment. Second, we will realize and investigate junctions between a superconductor and different other phases – including topologically protected channels – using only twisted BLG.

We combine experimental data with numerical simulations of charge transport in realistic models. In particular, we employ different transport and scanning probe microscopy techniques – including the possibility of mechanically modifying the twist angle between the graphene layers in-situ in an electrically-contacted device.