We predict that twisted bilayers of 1T-ZrS2 realize a novel and tunable platform to engineer two-dimensional topological quantum phases dominated by strong spin-orbit interactions. At small twist angles, ZrS2 heterostructures give rise to an emergent and twist-controlled moir\'e Kagom\'e lattice, combining geometric frustration and strong spin-orbit coupling to give rise to a moir\'e quantum spin Hall insulator with highly controllable and nearly-dispersionless bands. We devise a generic pseudo-spin theory for group-IV transition metal dichalcogenides that relies on the two-component character of the valence band maximum of the 1T structure at Γ, and study the emergence of a robust quantum anomalous Hall phase as well as possible fractional Chern insulating states from strong Coulomb repulsion at fractional fillings of the topological moir\'e Kagom\'e bands. Our results establish group-IV transition metal dichalcogenide bilayers as a novel moir\'e platform to realize strongly-correlated topological phases in a twist-tunable setting.
@article{arxiv.2110.13370,
title = {Ultra-Strong Spin-Orbit Coupling and Topological Moir\'e Engineering in Twisted ZrS2 Bilayers},
author = {Martin Claassen and Lede Xian and Dante M. Kennes and Angel Rubio},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2110.13370},
year = {2022}
}