A $\Gamma$-valley Moir\'e Platform for Tunable Square Lattice Hubbard Model

TL;DR

This paper introduces a highly tunable $ ext{Gamma}$-valley moiré platform for simulating the square-lattice Hubbard model, enabling experimental control over key parameters and opening new avenues for studying correlated electron phenomena.

Contribution

It demonstrates that $ ext{Gamma}$-valley twisted bilayers can realize a tunable $t-t'-U$ Hubbard model with controllable hopping ratios through displacement fields, extending previous M-valley proposals.

Findings

Layer-exchange symmetry decouples flat bands on nested square sublattices.

Interlayer displacement field controls inter-sublattice hybridization.

The platform allows wide-range tuning of the hopping ratio $t'/t$.

Abstract

Moir\'e superlattices have emerged as a premier platform for simulating the Hubbard model, yet achieving high tunability in square-lattice systems remains a key challenge. We demonstrate that $\Gamma$-valley twisted square homobilayers provide a faithful and highly tunable realization of $t-t'-U$ Hubbard model, extending the recent proposal in M-valley systems. We show that at small twist angles, an emergent layer-exchange symmetry decouples electronic states into flat bands residing on two nested square sublattices. An interlayer displacement field breaks this symmetry to induce controllable inter-sublattice hybridization, enabling wide-range experimental tuning of the effective hopping ratio $t'/t$. By establishing a direct correspondence between $\Gamma$- and M-valley systems, we provide a unified framework for understanding displacement-field tunability in square moir\'e physics. These findings establish $\Gamma$-valley twisted bilayers as a versatile platform for simulating the square-lattice Hubbard model and exploring its rich landscape of correlated phenomena.