Superconductivity in twisted WSe$_2$ from topology-induced quantum fluctuations

Abstract

Recently, superconductivity has been observed in twisted WSe$_2$ moir\'{e} structures (Xia et al., Nature 2024; Guo et al., Nature 2025). Its transition temperature is high, reaching a few percent of the Fermi temperature scale. Here, we advance a mechanism for superconductivity based on the notion that electronic topology enables quantum fluctuations in a suitable regime of intermediate correlations. In this regime, the Coulomb interaction requires that an active topological flat band and nearby wider bands are considered together. Compact molecular orbitals arise, which give rise to quantum fluctuations through topology-dictated hybridization with the other molecular orbitals. The hybridization competes with the active flat band's natural tendency towards static electronic ordering, thereby weakening the latter; we link this effect with certain salient observations by experiments. Furthermore, the competition yields a quantum critical regime where quasiparticles are lost. The corresponding quantum critical fluctuations drive superconductivity. Broader implications and new connections among correlated materials platforms are discussed.