WKB estimate of bilayer graphenes magic twist angles


Abstract in English

Graphene bilayers exhibit zero-energy flat bands at a discrete series of magic twist angles. In the absence of intra-sublattice inter-layer hopping, zero-energy states satisfy a Dirac equation with a non-abelian SU(2) gauge potential that cannot be diagonalized globally. We develop a semiclassical WKB approximation scheme for this Dirac equation by introducing a dimensionless Plancks constant proportional to the twist angle, solving the linearized Dirac equation around AB and BA turning points, and connecting Airy function solutions via bulk WKB wavefunctions. We find zero energy solutions at a discrete set of values of the dimensionless Plancks constant, which we obtain analytically. Our analytic flat band twist angles correspond closely to those determined numerically in previous work.

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