Unraveling Intertwined Orders in the Strongly Correlated Kagome Metal CsCr3Sb5

TL;DR

This study uncovers a charge density wave and nematic order in the kagome metal CsCr3Sb5, revealing complex intertwined electronic phases driven by flat band interactions, using ultrafast spectroscopy and elastoresistance measurements.

Contribution

It provides the first spectroscopic evidence of a charge density wave and nematicity in CsCr3Sb5, highlighting the role of flat bands in emergent correlated phenomena.

Findings

Identification of a charge density wave transition.

Observation of rotational symmetry breaking as nematicity.

Divergent elastoresistance indicating electronic origin of order.

Abstract

While correlated phenomena of flat bands have been extensively studied in twisted systems, the ordered states that emerge from interactions in the intrinsic flat bands of kagome lattice materials remain largely unexplored. The newly discovered kagome metal CsCr3Sb5 offers a unique and rich platform for this research, as its multi-orbital flat bands at the Fermi surface result in a complex interplay of pressurized superconductivity, antiferromagnetism, a structural phase transition, and density wave orders. Here, using ultrafast optical techniques, we provide strong spectroscopic evidence for a charge density wave transition in CsCr3Sb5, resolving previous ambiguities. Crucially, we identify rotational symmetry breaking that manifests as a three-state Potts-type nematicity. Our elastoresistance measurements directly demonstrate the electronic origin of this order, as the rotational-symmetry-breaking E2g component of the elastoresistance shows a divergent behaviour around the transition temperature. This exotic nematicity results from the lifting of degeneracy of the multi-orbital flat bands, akin to phenomena seen in certain iron-based superconductors. Our study pioneers the investigation of ultrafast dynamics in flat-band systems at the Fermi surface, offering new insights into the interactions between multiple elementary excitations in strongly correlated systems.