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Atomic versus electronic origin of uMIM-observed kagome lattice in twisted BG/BG/hBN

Ascertain whether the kagome lattice pattern observed by ultrahigh-resolution scanning microwave impedance microscopy in twisted bilayer graphene/bilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride at a twist angle of approximately 0.6° reflects an atomic kagome arrangement of stacking domains or an electronic kagome superlattice of conductivity, by discriminating structural versus electronic contributions to the microwave admittance signal.

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Background

In twisted multilayer graphene systems, uMIM imaging revealed bright, high-conductivity domains arranged in a kagome pattern at small twist angles. Because MIM is sensitive to both local structure and electronic response, the observed kagome signature could arise either from atomic stacking domains or from electronic superlattice states. Clarifying this distinction is crucial for attributing kagome-related phenomena to structural versus electronic origins in moiré systems.

References

However, since MIM is sensitive to changes in both atomic structure and electronic structure, it remains unclear whether the observed kagome lattice corresponds to an atomic or electronic kagome lattice.

— Two-dimensional Kagome Materials: Theoretical Insights, Experimental Realizations, and Electronic Structures (2409.03214 - Zhang et al., 5 Sep 2024) in Section 5 (Moiré kagome few-layers), page 33