Exactly solvable spin liquids in Kitaev bilayers and moir\'e superlattices

Abstract

Building on the recent advancements on moir\'e superlattices, we propose an exactly solvable model with Kitaev-type interactions on a bilayer honeycomb lattice for both AA stacking and moir\'e superlattices. Using Monte Carlo simulations and variational analysis, we uncover a rich variety of phases where the intra and interlayer $\mathbb{Z}_2$ fluxes (visons) are arranged in a periodic fashion in the ground state, tuned by interlayer coupling and out-of-plane external magnetic field. We further extend our model to moir\'e superlattices at various commensurate twist angles around two distinct twist centers represented by $C_{3z}$ and $C_{6z}$ of the honeycomb lattice. Our simulations reveal generalized arrangements of plaquette values that correlate with the AA or AB stacking regions across the moir\'e unit cell. Moreover, we find that, depending on the twist angle, twist center and interlayer coupling, moir\'e superlattices exhibit to a variety of gapped and gapless spin liquid phases and can also host corner and edge modes. Our results highlight the rich physics in bilayer and twisted bilayer models of exactly solvable quantum spin liquids.