Magnetism in Twisted Triangular Bilayer Graphene Quantum Dots

Abstract

Using a tight-binding model along with the mean-field Hubbard method, we investigate the effect of twisting angle on the magnetic properties of twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) quantum dots (QDs) with triangular shape and zigzag edges. We consider such QDs in two configurations: when their initial untwisted structure is a perfect AA- or AB-stacked BLG, referred to as AA- or AB-like dots. We find that AA-like dots exhibit an antiferromagnetic spin polarization for small twist angles, which transits to a ferromagnetic spin polarization beyond a critical twisting angle θc. Our analysis shows that θc decreases as the dot size increases, obeying a criterion, according to which once the maximum energy difference between electron and hole edge states (in the single-particle picture) is less than (U/γ0)t0, the spin-polarized energy levels are aligned ferromagnetically [U is the Hubbard parameter and γ0 (t0) the graphene intralayer (interlayer) hopping]. Unlike AA-like dots, AB-like dots exhibit finite magnetization for any twist angle. Furthermore, in the ferromagnetic polarization state, the ground net spin for both dot configurations agrees with the prediction from Lieb's theorem. © 2025 American Physical Society.