Direct Visualization of Electronic Liquid Crystal Phases in Correlated Topological Semimetals

Explore the fascinating world of strongly correlated electron systems and topological materials in this 47-minute lecture by Tien-Ming Chuang from PCS Institute for Basic Science. Delve into the direct observation of electronic liquid crystal phases in non-symmorphic topological semimetals using spectroscopic imaging - scanning tunneling microscopy (SI-STM). Discover how real-space SI-STM images reveal electronic nanostructures of incommensurate stripe and intense local nematic order, reminiscent of the "checkerboard" pattern in underdoped cuprates. Learn about the role of chemical substitution in the half-filled square-net layer in forming electronic nematicity and stabilizing unidirectional charge density wave instability. Examine quasiparticle scattering interference imaging and its detection of linearly dispersive q-vectors consistent with calculated topological band structures. Gain insights into how these topological semimetals provide a playground for studying novel phenomena of correlated Dirac electrons and the importance of dopant atoms in stripe and nematic phase formation. Understand the implications of this research for further microscopic understanding of electronic liquid crystal phases in other strongly correlated electron systems, such as cuprates and iron pnictides.