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Tunable quantum criticalities in an isospin extended Hubbard model simulator.

Qiao LiBin ChengMoyu ChenBo XieYongqin XiePengfei WangFanqiang ChenZenglin LiuKenji WatanabeTakashi TaniguchiShi-Jun LiangDa WangChenjie WangQiang-Hua WangJianpeng LiuFeng Miao
Published in: Nature (2022)
Studying strong electron correlations has been an essential driving force for pushing the frontiers of condensed matter physics. In particular, in the vicinity of correlation-driven quantum phase transitions (QPTs), quantum critical fluctuations of multiple degrees of freedom facilitate exotic many-body states and quantum critical behaviours beyond Landau's framework 1 . Recently, moiré heterostructures of van der Waals materials have been demonstrated as highly tunable quantum platforms for exploring fascinating, strongly correlated quantum physics 2-22 . Here we report the observation of tunable quantum criticalities in an experimental simulator of the extended Hubbard model with spin-valley isospins arising in chiral-stacked twisted double bilayer graphene (cTDBG). Scaling analysis shows a quantum two-stage criticality manifesting two distinct quantum critical points as the generalized Wigner crystal transits to a Fermi liquid by varying the displacement field, suggesting the emergence of a critical intermediate phase. The quantum two-stage criticality evolves into a quantum pseudo criticality as a high parallel magnetic field is applied. In such a pseudo criticality, we find that the quantum critical scaling is only valid above a critical temperature, indicating a weak first-order QPT therein. Our results demonstrate a highly tunable solid-state simulator with intricate interplay of multiple degrees of freedom for exploring exotic quantum critical states and behaviours.
Keyphrases
  • molecular dynamics
  • energy transfer
  • monte carlo
  • density functional theory
  • quantum dots
  • solid state
  • virtual reality
  • data analysis