Researchers from the University of Stuttgart, University of Washington, University of Edinburgh, University of Waterloo, the National Institute for Materials Science, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a new type of long‑range magnetic order in twisted double‑bilayer chromium triiodide (CrI₃).
The study reports a “super‑moiré” magnetic state that extends far beyond the conventional moiré unit cell - highlighting twist angle as a powerful tool to engineer topological spin textures in 2D magnets.
Using scanning nitrogen‑vacancy magnetometry, which maps local magnetic fields with nanometer precision, the team observed spin textures spreading up to ~300 nm at a 1.1° twist angle - almost ten times longer than the moiré wavelength. Above 2°, these extended features disappeared. Counterintuitively, the magnetic texture size increased as the twist angle decreased, behaving opposite to the expected moiré scaling.
Large‑scale Monte Carlo simulations showed that this behavior arises from the interplay between exchange coupling, magnetic anisotropy, and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interactions, which vary sensitively with rotational misalignment. The result is the formation of Néel‑type antiferromagnetic skyrmions that span multiple moiré cells - an entirely new twist‑induced topological phase.
This discovery positions twist angle as a practical knob for stabilizing skyrmions without relying on heavy‑metal layers or current‑driven effects. The large, robust textures could be integrated into low‑power spintronic architectures, where topological protection ensures energy‑efficient information storage and transfer.
As Dr. Elton Santos from the University of Edinburgh explains: "This discovery shows that twisting is not just an electronic knob, but a magnetic one. We're seeing collective spin order self-organize on scales far larger than the moiré lattice. It opens the door to designing topological magnetic states simply by controlling angle, which is a remarkably simple handle with profound practical consequences."