Bridging Hubbard model physics and quantum Hall physics in trilayer graphene/h−BN moiré superlattice

Abstract

The moir\'e superlattice formed by ABC stacked trilayer graphene aligned with a hexagonal boron nitride substrate (TG/h-BN) provides an interesting system where both the bandwidth and the topology can be tuned by an applied perpendicular electric field $D$ . Thus the TG/h-BN system can simulate both Hubbard model physics and nearly flat Chern band physics within one sample. We derive lattice models for both signs of $D$ (which controls the band topology) separately through explicit Wannier orbital construction and mapping of Coulomb interaction. When the bands are topologically trivial, we discuss possible candidates for Mott insulators at integer number of holes per site (labeled as $\nu_T$). These include both broken symmetry states and quantum spin liquid insulators which may be particularly favorable in the vicinity of the Mott transition. We propose feasible experiments to study carefully the bandwidth tuned and the doping tuned Mott metal-insulator transition at both $\nu_T=1$ and $\nu_T=2$. We discuss the interesting possibility of probing experimentally a bandwidth (or doping) controlled continuous Mott transition between a Fermi liquid metal and a quantum spin liquid insulator. Finally we also show that the system has a large valley Zeeman coupling to a small out-of-plane magnetic field, which can be used to control the valley degree of freedom.