Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2025

Fabricating van der Waals Heterostructures with Precise Rotational Alignment
Published on: July 5, 2019
Twist-programmable superconductivity in spin-orbit-coupled bilayer graphene
Yiran Zhang1,2,3, Gal Shavit4,5,6, Huiyang Ma7,8
1T. J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. yzhang7@caltech.edu.
Abstract:
The relative twist angle between layers of near-lattice-matched van der Waals materials is critical for the emergent phenomena associated with moiré flat bands1-3. However, the concept of angle rotation control is not exclusive to moiré superlattices in which electrons directly experience a twist-angle-dependent periodic potential. Instead, it can also be used to induce programmable symmetry-breaking perturbations with the goal of stabilizing desired correlated states. Here we experimentally demonstrate 'moiréless' twist-tuning of superconductivity together with other correlated orders in Bernal bilayer graphene proximitized by tungsten diselenide. The precise alignment between the two materials systematically controls the strength of induced Ising spin-orbit coupling (SOC), profoundly altering the phase diagram. As Ising SOC is increased, superconductivity onsets at a higher displacement field and features a higher critical temperature, reaching up to 0.5 K. Within the main superconducting dome and in the strong Ising SOC limit, we find an unusual phase transition characterized by a nematic redistribution of holes among trigonally warped Fermi pockets and enhanced resilience to in-plane magnetic fields. The superconducting behaviour is theoretically compatible with the prominent role of interband interactions between symmetry-breaking Fermi pockets. Moreover, we identify two additional superconducting regions, one of which descends from an inter-valley coherent normal state and shows a Pauli-limit violation ratio exceeding 40, among the highest for all known superconductors4-7. Our results provide insights into ultraclean graphene superconductors and underscore the potential of utilizing moiréless-twist engineering across a wide range of van der Waals heterostructures.
Related Concept Videos
Spin–Spin Coupling: One-Bond Coupling
Types Of Superconductors
Spin–Spin Coupling: Two-Bond Coupling (Geminal Coupling)
The central atom need not be NMR-active because its electrons are affected by the electron polarization of the spin-active atoms. However, spin information is transmitted less effectively than in one-bond coupling, and 2J values are usually weaker than 1J values. The energy of...
Spin–Spin Coupling Constant: Overview
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must...
Spin–Spin Coupling: Three-Bond Coupling (Vicinal Coupling)
The extent of coupling depends on the C‑C bond length, the two H‑C‑C angles, any electron-withdrawing substituents, and the dihedral angle between the...
Superconductor

