Evidence for a new symmetry breaking mechanism reorienting quantum Hall nematics

Article

关键词: HIGH LANDAU-LEVELS;    2-DIMENSIONAL ELECTRON LIQUID;    WEAK MAGNETIC-FIELD;    ROTATIONAL SYMMETRY;    ANISOTROPY;    TRANSPORT;    STATE;    PHASE;    SUPERCONDUCTOR;    SYSTEMS;   

DOI  :  10.1103/PhysRevB.93.121411

来源: SCIE

【 摘 要 】

We report on the effect of in-plane magnetic field B-parallel to on stripe phases in higher (N = 2,3) Landau levels of a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas. In accord with previous studies, we find that a modest B-parallel to applied parallel to the native stripes aligns them perpendicular to it. However, upon further increase of B-parallel to, stripes are reoriented back to their native direction. Remarkably, applying B-parallel to perpendicular to the native stripes also aligns stripes parallel to it. Thus, regardless of the initial orientation of stripes with respect to B-parallel to, stripes are ultimately aligned parallel to B-parallel to. These findings provide evidence for a B-parallel to-induced symmetry-breaking mechanism which challenge current understanding of the role of B-parallel to and should be taken into account when determining the strength of the native symmetry-breaking potential. Finally, our results might indicate nontrivial coupling between the native and external symmetry-breaking fields, which has not yet been theoretically considered.

【 授权许可】

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