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Optical vortex probe of loop-current chirality in moiré materials

Nobuhiko Yokoshi1 and Akihito Kato1,2

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Phys. Rev. B 113, 245303 – Published 15 June, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dlgp-bgbb

Abstract

We propose a symmetry-resolved optical probe of intrinsic loop-current chirality in moiré materials, with twisted bilayer graphene as a representative realization. Interlayer interference generates chiral electronic circulation on triangular plaquettes, giving rise to an intrinsic geometric chirality that enters the second-order response through a C3-selected angular harmonic of the Berry curvature and can be isolated by the orbital-angular-momentum difference Δℓ of interfering optical vortex beams. When moiré C3 symmetry is preserved, the intrinsic contribution appears in the Δℓ=3 channel of the helicity-dependent dc photocurrent, whereas C3-breaking perturbations activate additional channels. These results establish angular-momentum-resolved nonlinear optics as a route to probing geometric chirality in moiré and other symmetry-engineered quantum materials.

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Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. B 113, 245303– Published 15 June, 2026
  • Received 19 March 2026
  • Revised 25 May 2026
  • Accepted 1 June 2026
Article part of CHORUS
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