Studies of electronic nematic phases by precision torque measurements

在这个项目中，我们利用磁矩的角度相关性作为“电子向列性”的有力探针，“电子向列性”是最近在强关联电子系统中讨论的具有旋转对称性破缺的状态。利用高灵敏的微悬臂梁技术，我们发现了铁基超导体正常态和重费米子化合物URu2Si2的隐序相的磁化率在平面内的各向异性。这些结果证实了这些强关联材料中电子向列态的存在。

In this project, we utilized the angular dependence of magnetic torque as a powerful probe of the "electronic nematicity", which is a state with rotational symmetry breaking recently discussed in strongly correlated electron systems. By using highly sensitive micro cantilever technique, we found in-plane anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in the normal state of iron-based superconductors as well as in the so-called hidden order phase of heavy-fermion compound URu2Si2. The results established the presence of electronic nematic states in these strongly correlated materials.