One-dimensional moir\'e superlattices and flat bands in collapsed chiral carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper shows that collapsed chiral carbon nanotubes can host one-dimensional moiré patterns with flat bands and magic angle physics, similar to twisted bilayer graphene, opening new avenues for exploring many-body effects and superconductivity in low dimensions.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of moiré superlattices in collapsed chiral carbon nanotubes and demonstrates their potential for strong many-body interactions and flat band phenomena.

Findings

Magic angle close to 1 degree identified.

Flat bands and localization in AA regions observed.

Many-body interactions estimated to be stronger than in twisted bilayer graphene.

Abstract

We demonstrate that one-dimensional moir\'e patterns, analogous to those found in twisted bilayer graphene, can arise in collapsed chiral carbon nanotubes. Resorting to a combination of approaches, namely, molecular dynamics to obtain the relaxed geometries and tight-binding calculations validated against ab initio modeling, we find that magic angle physics occur in collapsed carbon nanotubes. Velocity reduction, flat bands and localization in AA regions with diminishing moir\'e angle are revealed, showing a magic angle close to 1$^{\rm o}$. From the spatial extension of the AA regions and the width of the flat bands, we estimate that many-body interactions in these systems are stronger than in twisted bilayer graphene. Chiral collapsed carbon nanotubes stand out as promising candidates to explore many-body effects and superconductivity in low dimensions, emerging as the one-dimensional analogues of twisted bilayer graphene.