Description:

Abstract: The competition of paired and nematic ground states occurs in several strongly correlated fermionic systems and, to date, it remains poorly understood. Paired and nematic states also form in the two-dimensional electron gas. However, these phases developed in different areas of the phase space and, therefore, a phase transition between them was not possible. This state of affairs has recently changed with the observation of a direct phase transition between a paired fractional quantum Hall state and the electronic nematic phase. We discuss several interesting aspects of this phase transition and provide evidence that this phase transition is driven by tuning of the short-range part of the electron-electron interactions.

Speaker: Professor Gabor Csathy, Purdue University

Host: Prof. William Halperin