Quantum exciton solid with embedded electron-hole solids in double-layer WSe2

TL;DR

This study investigates quantum exciton solids and embedded electron-hole solids in double-layer WSe2, revealing quantized Coulomb drag resistance plateaus and novel quantum solid states with potential for exploring strongly correlated phenomena.

Contribution

First experimental observation of quantized Coulomb drag plateaus linked to exciton and embedded electron-hole solids in double-layer WSe2.

Findings

Coulomb drag resistance exhibits plateaus at -h/(4e^2) and -h/(2e^2).

Formation of exciton solid when electron and hole densities are equal.

Embedded electron solid modifies quantum edge defect transport, affecting drag resistance.

Abstract

We studied double-layer WSe2 stacked on opposite sides of thin layers of hexagonal Boron nitride with different densities of electrons and holes. For a fixed hole density, the Coulomb drag resistance is found to exhibit plateaus approximately equal to $-h/(4e^2)$ and $-h/(2e^2)$ as the electron density is changed. When the number of electrons is equal to the number of holes, an exciton solid forms whose transport of quantum edge defects gives rise to the drag resistance. When the electron and hole densities are different, the excess electrons form a solid embedded in the exciton solid. The Coulomb drag resistance of the exciton solid comes from the one-dimensional transport of the two lowest energy channels of quantum edge vacancy-interstitial pairs. This corresponds to the first plateau. With the embedded solid, one of these channels is blocked. This corresponds to the second plateau. Transport experiments in the Corbino geometry with no edges and extra heavier holes were carried out. The plateaus disappeared. Three peaks in the resistance at different hole densities were observed. We interpret that the three peaks correspond to the commensurate exciton and two classes of hole solids. We performed phonon calculations of these states and found that the stability of these exciton-based quantum solids shows good agreement with experiment. Our results establish classes of extreme quantum solid states, opening additional avenues for the study of strongly correlated quantum transport phenomena involving quantum defect states.