Topological Surface States of 3D Topological Insulator on Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Abstract

We present a comprehensive theoretical study of the topological surface states (TSS) of Bi$_2$Se$_3$, a 3D topological insulator, epitaxially grown on twisted bilayer graphene (tBG). The moir\'e potential induced by tBG folds the TSS Dirac cone into the moir\'e Brillouin zone (MBZ), resulting in mini-gap openings, band flattening, and the potential emergence of secondary Dirac points. Using effective field theory, symmetry analysis, and higher-order perturbation theory, we analyze both commensurate and incommensurate twist angles, revealing significant band structure reconstruction in periodic systems and quasi-periodic effects in incommensurate ones. This work provides deep insights into the interplay between topological protection and moir\'e modulation, offering a pathway to engineer novel topological phases.