Strain-dependent one-dimensional confinement channels in twisted bilayer 1 T ′ − WTe 2

The low-symmetry and anistropic lattice of 1 T ′ WTe 2 is responsible for the existence of parallel one-dimensional channels in the moiré patterns of twisted bilayers. This gives the opportunity to explore moiré physics of a different nature to that widely observed in twisted bilayers of materials with hexagonal symmetries. Here, we combine plane-wave and linear-scaling density functional theory calculations to describe the electronic properties of twisted bilayer 1 T ′ WTe 2 . We investigate the strain dependence of both aligned bilayer configurations across a range of stacking geometries, and of the twisted bilayer itself. For a small change in the lattice parameters of the constituent 1 T ′ WTe 2 monolayers, we find a very substantial increase in the moiré-induced striped electrostatic potential landscape in the twisted bilayer. We measure a peak-to-trough magnitude > 200 meV between parallel linear channels, sufficient to induce Luttinger liquid behavior.