Layer-Resolved Picometer-Scale Lattice Reconstruction in Large Angle Twisted WSe<sub>2</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

Large-angle twisted moiré materials—including moiré crystals, quasicrystals, and supermoiré lattices—offer a versatile platform for realizing correlated states and topological phases. In contrast to small-angle moiré bilayers (θₜ < 3°), where lattice relaxation on the order of tens of picometers strongly modulates local stacking configurations, large-angle moiré systems (θₜ > 6°) are typically described by a rigid-lattice approximation due to their shallow stacking-energy landscape.

In this work, using super-resolution, layer-resolved electron ptychography1,2 , we directly observe picometer-scale lattice reconstruction in large-angle twisted WSe2. These subtle atomic displacements lead to the emergence of supermoiré patterns3 , forming alternating rotational faults with a supermoiré wavelength that can be tuned by a small angle deviated from the commensurate angle. Our findings underscore the critical role of picometer-scale lattice reconstruction in large-angle moiré structures, establishing a foundation for extending moiré engineering into this previously unexplored regime.

*The authors acknowledge the support from NSF (FUSE-2329111 and CMMI-2239545) and Welch Foundation (C-2065, X-C-0011), and support from Sustainability Institute and RAMI at Rice University.

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Publication: 1. Jiang, Y. et al. Electron ptychography of 2D materials to deep sub-ångström resolution. Nature 559, 343–349 (2018).
2. Chen, Z. et al. Electron ptychography achieves atomic-resolution limits set by lattice vibrations. Science 372, 826–831 (2021).
3. Li, Y. et al. Robust supermoiré pattern in large-angle single-twist bilayers. Nat. Phys. 21, 1085-1092 (2025).

Presenters

  • Yimo Han

    • Rice University
    • Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA

Authors

  • Yimo Han

    • Rice University
    • Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA

  • Chuqiao Shi

    • University of Southern California
    • Rice University

  • Yanxing Li

    • Princeton University
    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Yi Jiang

    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Giovanny Espitia

    • The University of Texas at Austin
    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Yiyuan Luo

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Xu Qi

    • Rice University

  • Xiaohui Liu

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Xiaoqin Elaine Li

    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Mit H. Naik

    • University of Texas at Austin
    • The University of Texas at Austin

  • Chih-Kang Shih

    • University of Texas at Austin