Nematic quantum fluids with wavefunctions that break the underlying crystalline symmetry can form in interacting electronic systems. We examine the quantum Hall states that arise in high magnetic fields from anisotropic hole pockets on the Bi(111) surface. Spectroscopy performed with a scanning tunneling microscope shows that a combination of single-particle effects and many-body Coulomb interactions lift the six-fold Landau level (LL) degeneracy to form three valley-polarized quantum Hall states. We image the resulting anisotropic LL wavefunctions and show that they have a different orientation for each broken-symmetry state. The wavefunctions correspond to those expected from pairs of hole valleys and provide a direct spatial signature of a nematic electronic phase. Main text:Nematic electronic states represent an intriguing class of broken-symmetry phases that can spontaneously form as a result of electronic correlations (1, 2). They are characterized by reduced rotational symmetry relative to the underlying crystal lattice and have attracted considerable interest in systems such as two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) (3-5), strontium ruthenate (6), and high-temperature superconductors (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). The sensitivity of electronic nematic phases to disorder results in short range ordering and domains, making them difficult to study using global measurements that average over microscopic configurations. The effect of perturbations, such as crystalline strain, may be used to show a propensity for nematic order, i.e. to provide evidence that vestiges of nematic behavior survive even in the presence of material imperfections (1). However, it is difficult to quantitatively correlate the experimental evidence of ordering with a microscopic description of the electronic states and the interactions responsible for nematic behavior. To put the study of nematic electronic phases on more quantitative ground, it is therefore important not only to perform local measurements, but also to find a material system for which theory can fully characterize the underlying broken-symmetry states and the electronic interactions.Multi-valley 2DEGs with anisotropic band structure have been anticipated as a model platform to explore nematic order in the quantum Hall regime (13-17). The key idea is that Coulomb interactions can spontaneously lift the valley degeneracy in materials with low disorder and thereby break rotational symmetry. In contrast to previously studied metallic nematic phases, this leads to a gapped nematic state with quantized Hall conductance. We examine such a 2DEG on the surface of single crystals of bismuth (Bi), which is one of the cleanest electronic systems, with a bulk mean free path reaching 1 mm at low temperatures (18). Interest in Bi has recently been rekindled by bulk measurements showing phase transitions and anisotropic behavior at large magnetic fields, which may be related to nematic electronic phenomena (19)(20)(21)(22). We focus here on the (111) surface of Bi, for which strong R...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.