Quantum melting of generalized electron crystal in twisted bilayer MoSe2
Abstract Electrons can form an ordered solid crystal phase ascribed to the interplay between Coulomb repulsion and kinetic energy. Tuning these energy scales can drive a phase transition from electron solid to liquid, i.e., melting of Wigner crystal. Generalized Wigner crystals (GWCs) pinned to moir...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59365-2 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Electrons can form an ordered solid crystal phase ascribed to the interplay between Coulomb repulsion and kinetic energy. Tuning these energy scales can drive a phase transition from electron solid to liquid, i.e., melting of Wigner crystal. Generalized Wigner crystals (GWCs) pinned to moiré superlattices have been reported by optical and scanning-probe-based methods. Using transport measurements to investigate GWCs is vital to a complete characterization, however, still poses a significant challenge due to difficulties in making reliable electrical contacts. Here, we report the electrical transport detection of GWCs at fractional fillings ν = 2/5, 1/2, 3/5, 2/3, 8/9, 10/9, and 4/3 in twisted bilayer MoSe2. We further observe that these GWCs undergo continuous quantum melting transitions to liquid phases by tuning doping density, magnetic and displacement fields, manifested by quantum critical scaling behaviors. Our findings establish twisted bilayer MoSe2 as a novel system to study strongly correlated states of matter and their quantum phase transitions. |
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| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |