Quantum geometry and stability of moiré flatband ferromagnetism

Fengcheng Wu and S. Das Sarma
Phys. Rev. B 102, 165118 – Published 12 October 2020

Abstract

Several moiré systems created by various twisted bilayers have manifested magnetism under flatband conditions leading to enhanced interaction effects. We theoretically study stability of moiré flatband ferromagnetism against collective excitations, with a focus on the effects of Bloch band quantum geometry. The spin magnon spectrum is calculated using different approaches, including Bethe-Salpeter equation, single mode approximation, and an analytical theory. One of our main results is an analytical expression for the spin stiffness in terms of the Coulomb interaction potential, the Berry curvatures, and the quantum metric tensor, where the last two quantities characterize the quantum geometry of moiré bands. This analytical theory shows that Berry curvatures play an important role in stiffening the spin magnons. Furthermore, we construct an effective field theory for the magnetization fluctuations and show explicitly that skyrmion excitations bind an integer number of electrons that is proportional to the Bloch band Chern number and the skyrmion winding number.

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  • Received 29 May 2020
  • Revised 6 August 2020
  • Accepted 28 September 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.102.165118

©2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Fengcheng Wu* and S. Das Sarma

  • Condensed Matter Theory Center and Joint Quantum Institute, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA

  • *wufcheng@umd.edu

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Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 16 — 15 October 2020

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