Interaction-induced moiré lattices: From mosaic mobility edges to localization
Phys. Rev. B 113, 174203 – Published 14 May, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/2r51-48dl
Abstract
We study localization driven solely by interparticle interactions in moiré lattice systems without intrinsic disorder or externally imposed quasiperiodic potentials. We consider a one-dimensional bilayer with incommensurate lattice constants, described by a spin-dependent Fermi-Hubbard-type model with short-range interlayer interactions, where quasiperiodicity emerges only through interactions. Exact diagonalization shows that quenching hopping in one layer generates an interaction-induced mosaic potential with multiple mobility edges. When both layers are dynamical, increasing interlayer interactions drives transitions among ergodic, critical, and localized regimes, with energy-dependent coexistence in certain parameter ranges. An exact mapping to a noninteracting single-particle model on a higher-dimensional structured graph provides a unified interpretation of these results and suggests an experimentally accessible route to interaction-induced moiré physics and localization.