Chiral Kondo lattice in doped MoTe₂/WSe₂ bilayers

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Magnetism

Background:

• AB-stacked transition metal dichalcogenide bilayers like MoTe2/WSe2 offer a unique platform for exploring exotic electronic phases.
• Understanding the interplay between localized magnetic moments and itinerant electrons is crucial for novel quantum phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically investigate the coupling between magnetism and a heavy Fermi liquid in MoTe2/WSe2 heterostructures.
• To elucidate the role of interlayer electron tunneling in driving novel quantum effects.

Main Methods:

• Development of a theoretical model for MoTe2/WSe2 bilayers.
• Analysis of interlayer electron transfer and its impact on electronic properties.
• Mean-field analysis to identify distinct electronic phases.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of chiral Kondo exchange driven by interlayer electron transfer.
• Observation of a strong dependence of Kondo temperature on carrier concentration.
• Prediction of an anomalous Hall effect arising from a topological hybridization gap.
• Identification of two distinct phases: a small Fermi surface magnet and a large Fermi surface heavy Fermi liquid.

Conclusions:

• The theoretical model provides concrete predictions for MoTe2/WSe2 bilayer experiments.
• A controlled route to observe a topological selective Mott transition is introduced.
• The study highlights the potential of van der Waals heterostructures for realizing complex quantum phenomena.