Electrically tunable correlated and topological states in twisted monolayer–bilayer graphene

Abstract

Twisted van der Waals heterostructures with flat electronic bands have recently emerged as a platform for realizing correlated and topological states with an extraordinary degree of control and tunability. In graphene-based moir\'e heterostructures, the correlated phase diagram and band topology depend strongly on the number of graphene layers, their relative stacking arrangement, and details of the external environment from the encapsulating crystals. Here, we report that the system of twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene (tMBG) hosts a variety of correlated metallic and insulating states, as well as topological magnetic states. Because of its low symmetry, the phase diagram of tMBG approximates that of twisted bilayer graphene when an applied perpendicular electric field points from the bilayer towards the monolayer graphene, or twisted double bilayer graphene when the field is reversed. In the former case, we observe correlated states which undergo an orbitally driven insulating transition above a critical perpendicular magnetic field. In the latter case, we observe the emergence of electrically tunable ferromagnetism at one-quarter filling of the conduction band, with a large associated anomalous Hall effect. Uniquely, the magnetization direction can be switched purely with electrostatic doping at zero magnetic field. Our results establish tMBG as a highly tunable platform for investigating a wide array of tunable correlated and topological states.