Metal-Insulator Transition with Charge Fractionalization

TL;DR

This paper proposes a theory for a continuous metal-insulator transition in TMD moiré heterostructures involving charge fractionalization, predicting observable effects like resistivity jumps, differing from previous theories.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theory for continuous MIT with charge fractionalization in TMD heterostructures, highlighting unique experimental signatures.

Findings

Predicts large critical resistivity at the MIT

Forecasts a universal resistivity jump at the transition

Discusses physics near the transition phase

Abstract

It has been proposed that an extended version of the Hubbard model which potentially hosts rich correlated physics may be well simulated by the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) moir\'{e} heterostructures. Motivated by recent reports of continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT) at half filling, as well as correlated insulators at various fractional fillings in TMD moir\'{e} heterostructures, we propose a theory for the potentially continuous MIT with fractionalized electric charges. The charge fractionalization at the MIT will lead to various experimental observable effects, such as a large critical resistivity as well as large universal resistivity jump at the continuous MIT. These predictions are different from previously proposed theory for interaction-driven continuous MIT. Physics in phases near the MIT will also be discussed.