- Accepted Paper
YCl electride as a multiorbital correlated topological dice lattice system
Phys. Rev. B - Accepted 30 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/pj5b-mzql
Phys. Rev. B - Accepted 30 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/pj5b-mzql
The long-sought dice lattice flat band has recently been discovered for the first time in two-dimensional layered electride yttrium monochloride (YCl). While essential flat band features of YCl were captured by an idealized simple dice lattice model, we reveal in this Letter that a unique layer-orbital-valley coupling in YCl puts up a fundamental obstruction against a simple three-band dice lattice description of the flat band, and necessitates a multi-orbital description that faithfully represents the symmetry, topology, and correlation physics in the first-ever dice metal. Using an ab initio-based multi-orbital Hubbard model with local interactions, we predict that the multi-orbital flat band supports a robust ferromagnetic ground state and electrically tunable correlated quantum anomalous Hall phases that are absent in an interacting single-orbital dice lattice. Our findings open a new avenue for exploring correlation and topology in electride systems.
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