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Imaging two-dimensional generalized Wigner crystals

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  • Hongyuan Li

    (University of California at Berkeley
    University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Shaowei Li

    (University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    University of California at San Diego)

  • Emma C. Regan

    (University of California at Berkeley
    University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Danqing Wang

    (University of California at Berkeley
    University of California at Berkeley)

  • Wenyu Zhao

    (University of California at Berkeley)

  • Salman Kahn

    (University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Kentaro Yumigeta

    (Arizona State University)

  • Mark Blei

    (Arizona State University)

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    (National Institute for Materials Science)

  • Kenji Watanabe

    (National Institute for Materials Science)

  • Sefaattin Tongay

    (Arizona State University)

  • Alex Zettl

    (University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Michael F. Crommie

    (University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Feng Wang

    (University of California at Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute at the University of California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

Abstract

The Wigner crystal1 has fascinated condensed matter physicists for nearly 90 years2–14. Signatures of two-dimensional (2D) Wigner crystals were first observed in 2D electron gases under high magnetic field2–4, and recently reported in transition metal dichalcogenide moiré superlattices6–9. Direct observation of the 2D Wigner crystal lattice in real space, however, has remained an outstanding challenge. Conventional scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) has sufficient spatial resolution but induces perturbations that can potentially alter this fragile state. Here we demonstrate real-space imaging of 2D Wigner crystals in WSe2/WS2 moiré heterostructures using a specially designed non-invasive STM spectroscopy technique. This employs a graphene sensing layer held close to the WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattice. Local STM tunnel current into the graphene layer is modulated by the underlying Wigner crystal electron lattice in the WSe2/WS2 heterostructure. Different Wigner crystal lattice configurations at fractional electron fillings of n = 1/3, 1/2 and 2/3, where n is the electron number per site, are directly visualized. The n = 1/3 and n = 2/3 Wigner crystals exhibit triangular and honeycomb lattices, respectively, to minimize nearest-neighbour occupations. The n = 1/2 state spontaneously breaks the original C3 symmetry and forms a stripe phase. Our study lays a solid foundation for understanding Wigner crystal states in WSe2/WS2 moiré heterostructures and provides an approach that is generally applicable for imaging novel correlated electron lattices in other systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Hongyuan Li & Shaowei Li & Emma C. Regan & Danqing Wang & Wenyu Zhao & Salman Kahn & Kentaro Yumigeta & Mark Blei & Takashi Taniguchi & Kenji Watanabe & Sefaattin Tongay & Alex Zettl & Michael F. Crom, 2021. "Imaging two-dimensional generalized Wigner crystals," Nature, Nature, vol. 597(7878), pages 650-654, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:597:y:2021:i:7878:d:10.1038_s41586-021-03874-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03874-9
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hye-Sung Kim & Ji-Sang An & Hyung Bin Bae & Sung-Yoon Chung, 2023. "Atomic-scale observation of premelting at 2D lattice defects inside oxide crystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Madeline Winkle & Isaac M. Craig & Stephen Carr & Medha Dandu & Karen C. Bustillo & Jim Ciston & Colin Ophus & Takashi Taniguchi & Kenji Watanabe & Archana Raja & Sinéad M. Griffin & D. Kwabena Bediak, 2023. "Rotational and dilational reconstruction in transition metal dichalcogenide moiré bilayers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Beini Gao & Daniel G. Suárez-Forero & Supratik Sarkar & Tsung-Sheng Huang & Deric Session & Mahmoud Jalali Mehrabad & Ruihao Ni & Ming Xie & Pranshoo Upadhyay & Jonathan Vannucci & Sunil Mittal & Kenj, 2024. "Excitonic Mott insulator in a Bose-Fermi-Hubbard system of moiré WS2/WSe2 heterobilayer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    4. Qianhong Yang & Maoqiang Jiang & Francesco Picano & Lailai Zhu, 2024. "Shaping active matter from crystalline solids to active turbulence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Jing Ding & Hanxiao Xiang & Wenqiang Zhou & Naitian Liu & Qianmei Chen & Xinjie Fang & Kangyu Wang & Linfeng Wu & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Na Xin & Shuigang Xu, 2024. "Engineering band structures of two-dimensional materials with remote moiré ferroelectricity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Dorri Halbertal & Simon Turkel & Christopher J. Ciccarino & Jonas B. Profe & Nathan Finney & Valerie Hsieh & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & James Hone & Cory Dean & Prineha Narang & Abhay N. Pas, 2022. "Unconventional non-local relaxation dynamics in a twisted trilayer graphene moiré superlattice," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Si-yu Li & Zhengwen Wang & Yucheng Xue & Yingbo Wang & Shihao Zhang & Jianpeng Liu & Zheng Zhu & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Hong-jun Gao & Yuhang Jiang & Jinhai Mao, 2022. "Imaging topological and correlated insulating states in twisted monolayer-bilayer graphene," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.

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