Moir\'e-induced gapped phases in twisted nodal superconductors

TL;DR

This paper reveals how moiré superlattices induce trivial gapped phases in twisted nodal superconductors, challenging previous topological phase predictions and highlighting the importance of umklapp tunneling effects near specific twist angles.

Contribution

It uncovers the role of moiré-induced umklapp tunneling in creating trivial gapped phases, modifying the phase diagram of twisted nodal superconductors, and discusses experimental implications.

Findings

Moiré superlattice causes trivial gapped phases in twisted superconductors.

Topological phase transitions occur due to competition between trivial and topological gaps.

Experimental signatures are proposed for twisted Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+x}$.

Abstract

We demonstrate the emergence of gapped phases driven by the moir\'{e} superlattice that trivialize the topological states in twisted nodal superconductors. The effect arises from umklapp tunneling between non-adjacent Dirac points in momentum space close to specific twist angles or chemical potentials, determined by the Fermi surface geometry. We confirm the robustness of the non-topological phase against interactions with self-consistent calculations and show that this gap competes with the previously predicted topological gapped phases, leading to topological phase transitions. These transitions were overlooked in prior literature, signifying the necessity of modifying the phase diagrams of topological phases exhibited in twisted nodal superconductors with and without an interlayer current. We also estimate the relevant twist angles and discuss experimental signatures, focusing on twisted Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+x}$