Optical Sensing of Fractional Quantum Hall Effect in Graphene

Graphene and its heterostructures provide a unique and versatile playground for explorations of strongly correlated electronic phases, ranging from unconventional fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states in a monolayer system to a plethora of superconducting and insulating states in twisted bilayers. However, the access to those fascinating phases has been thus far entirely restricted to transport techniques, due to the lack of a robust energy bandgap that makes graphene hard to access optically. Here we demonstrate an all-optical, noninvasive spectroscopic tool for probing electronic correlations in graphene using excited Rydberg excitons in an adjacent transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer. These excitons are highly susceptible to the compressibility of graphene electrons, allowing us to detect the formation of odd-denominator FQH states at high magnetic fields. Owing to its submicron spatial resolution, the technique we demonstrate circumvents spatial inhomogeneities and paves the way for optical studies of correlated states in optically inactive atomically thin materials.

Automated summary

Graphene and its heterostructures have unique properties for studying strongly correlated electronic phases. However, the lack of a robust energy bandgap has limited optical access to these phases. This study demonstrates an all-optical spectroscopic tool using excited Rydberg excitons in an adjacent transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer to probe electronic correlations in graphene. The technique has submicron spatial resolution, circumventing spatial inhomogeneities and enabling optical studies of correlated states in optically inactive atomically thin materials.