Criticality of tuning in athermal phase transitions

We experimentally address the importance of tuning in athermal phase transitions, which are triggered only by a slowly varying external field acting as tuning parameter. Using higher order statistics of fluctuations, a singular critical instability is detected for the first time in spite of an apparent universal self-similar kinetics over a broad range of driving force. The results as well as the experimental technique are likely to be of significance to many slowly driven non-equilibrium systems from geophysics to material science which display avalanche dynamics.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Evidence for defect-mediated tunneling in hexagonal boron nitride-based junctions

We investigate tunneling in metal-insulator-metal junctions employing few atomic layers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as the insulating barrier. While the low-bias tunnel resistance increases nearly exponentially with barrier thickness, subtle features are seen in the current-voltage curves, indicating marked influence of the intrinsic defects present in the hBN insulator on the tunneling transport. In particular, single electron charging events are observed, which are more evident in thicker-barrier devices where direct tunneling is substantially low. Furthermore, we find that annealing the devices modifies the defect states and hence the tunneling signatures.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Emergent phases in graphene flat bands

Electronic correlations in two-dimensional materials play a crucial role in stabilising emergent phases of matter. The realisation of correlation-driven phenomena in graphene has remained a longstanding goal, primarily due to the absence of strong electron-electron interactions within its low-energy bands. In this context, magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene has recently emerged as a novel platform featuring correlated phases favoured by the low-energy flat bands of the underlying moir\'e superlattice. Notably, the observation of correlated insulators and superconductivity has garnered significant attention, leading to substantial progress in theoretical and experimental studies aiming to elucidate the origin and interplay between these two phases. A wealth of correlated phases with unprecedented tunability was discovered subsequently, including orbital ferromagnetism, Chern insulators, strange metallicity, density waves, and nematicity. However, a comprehensive understanding of these closely competing phases remains elusive. The ability to controllably twist and stack multiple graphene layers has enabled the creation of a whole new family of moir\'e superlattices with myriad properties being discovered at a fast pace. Here, we review the progress and development achieved so far, encompassing the rich phase diagrams offered by these graphene-based moir\'e systems. Additionally, we discuss multiple phases recently observed in non-moir\'e multilayer graphene systems. Finally, we outline future opportunities and challenges for the exploration of hidden phases in this new generation of moir\'e materials

Signature of Martensite transformation on conductivity noise in thin films of NiTi shape memory alloys

Slow time-dependent fluctuations, or noise, in the electrical resistance of dc magnetron sputtered thin films of Nickel Titanium shape memory alloys have been measured. Even in equilibrium, the noise was several orders of magnitude larger than that of simple diffusive metallic films, and was found to be non-monotonic around the martensitic transformation regime. The results are discussed in terms of dynamics of structural defects, which also lay foundation to a new noise-based characterization scheme of martensite transformation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Spin-orbit coupling-enhanced valley ordering of malleable bands in twisted bilayer graphene on WSe2

New phases of matter can be stabilized by a combination of diverging electronic density of states, strong interactions, and spin-orbit coupling. Recent experiments in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) have uncovered a wealth of novel phases as a result of interaction-driven spin-valley flavour polarization. In this work, we explore correlated phases appearing due to the combined effect of spin-orbit coupling-enhanced valley polarization and large density of states below half filling ($\nu \lesssim 2$) of the moir\'e band in a TBG coupled to tungsten diselenide. We observe anomalous Hall effect, accompanied by a series of Lifshitz transitions, that are highly tunable with carrier density and magnetic field. Strikingly, the magnetization shows an abrupt sign change in the vicinity of half-filling, confirming its orbital nature. The coercive fields reported are about an order of magnitude higher than previous studies in graphene-based moir\'e systems, presumably aided by a Stoner instability favoured by the van Hove singularities in the malleable bands. While the Hall resistance is not quantized at zero magnetic fields, indicative of a ground state with partial valley polarization, perfect quantization and complete valley polarization are observed at finite fields. Our findings illustrate that singularities in the flat bands in the presence of spin-orbit coupling can stabilize ordered phases even at non-integer moir\'e band fillings.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figure