Seeing moir\'e superlattices

Understand

Moir\'e superlattices in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures have given rise to a number of emergent electronic phenomena due to the interplay between atomic structure and electron correlations.

• A lack of a simple way to characterize moir\'e superlattices has impeded progress in the field.
• In this work we outline a simple, room-temperature, ambient method to visualize real-space moir\'e superlattices with sub-5 nm spatial resolution in a variety of twisted vdW heterostructures including but not limited to conducting graphene, insulating boron nitride and semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides.
• Our method utilizes piezoresponse force microscopy, an atomic force microscope modality which locally measures electromechanical surface deformation.