Local probe of bulk and edge states in a fractional Chern insulator

Zhurun Ji, Heonjoon Park, Mark E. Barber, Chaowei Hu, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Jiun-Haw Chu, Xiaodong Xu () and Zhi-Xun Shen ()
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Zhurun Ji: Stanford University
Heonjoon Park: University of Washington
Mark E. Barber: Stanford University
Chaowei Hu: University of Washington
Kenji Watanabe: National Institute for Materials Science
Takashi Taniguchi: National Institute for Materials Science
Jiun-Haw Chu: University of Washington
Xiaodong Xu: University of Washington
Zhi-Xun Shen: Stanford University

Nature, 2024, vol. 635, issue 8039, 578-583

Abstract: Abstract The fractional quantum Hall effect is a key example of topological quantum many-body phenomena, arising from the interplay between strong electron correlation, topological order and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recently, a lattice analogue of the fractional quantum Hall effect at zero magnetic field has been observed, confirming the existence of a zero-field fractional Chern insulator (FCI). Despite this, the bulk–edge correspondence—a hallmark of a FCI featuring an insulating bulk with conductive edges—has not been directly observed. In fact, this correspondence has not been visualized in any system for fractional states owing to experimental challenges. Here we report the imaging of FCI edge states in twisted MoTe2 (t-MoTe2) using microwave impedance microscopy1. By tuning the carrier density, we observe the system evolving between metallic and FCI states, the latter of which exhibits insulating bulk and conductive edges, as expected from the bulk–boundary correspondence. Further analysis suggests the composite nature of the FCI edge states. We also observe the evolution of edge states across the topological phase transition as a function of interlayer electric field and reveal exciting prospects of neighbouring domains with different fractional orders. These findings pave the way for research into topologically protected one-dimensional interfaces between various anyonic states at zero magnetic field, such as gapped one-dimensional symmetry-protected phases with non-zero topological entanglement entropy, Halperin–Laughlin interfaces and the creation of non-abelian anyons.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08092-7

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