Kitaev spin-orbital bilayers and their moiré superlattices

Abstract

Abstract We determine the phase diagram of a bilayer, Yao-Lee spin-orbital model with inter-layer interactions (J), for several stackings and moiré superlattices. For AA stacking, a gapped $${{\mathbb{Z}}}_{2}$$ Z 2 quantum spin liquid phase emerges at a finite J c. We show that this phase survives in the well-controlled large-J limit, where an isotropic honeycomb toric code emerges. For moiré superlattices, a finite-q inter-layer hybridization is stabilized. This connects inequivalent Dirac points, effectively ‘untwisting’ the system. Our study thus provides insight into the spin-liquid phases of bilayer spin-orbital Kitaev materials.