Realization of flat band with possible nontrivial topology in electronic Kagome lattice

Abstract

The energy dispersion of fermions or bosons vanishes in momentum space if destructive quantum interference occurs in a frustrated Kagome lattice with only nearest-neighbor hopping. A discrete flat band (FB) without any dispersion is consequently formed, promising the emergence of fractional quantum Hall states at high temperatures. Here, we report the experimental realization of an FB with possible nontrivial topology in an electronic Kagome lattice on twisted multilayer silicene. Because of the unique low-buckled two-dimensional structure of silicene, a robust electronic Kagome lattice has been successfully induced by moiré patterns after twisting the silicene multilayers. The electrons are localized in the Kagome lattice because of quantum destructive interference, and thus, their kinetic energy is quenched, which gives rise to an FB peak in the density of states. A robust and pronounced one-dimensional edge state has been revealed at the Kagome edge, which resides at higher energy than the FB. Our observations of the FB and the exotic edge state in electronic Kagome lattice open up the possibility that fractional Chern insulators could be realized in two-dimensional materials.