Unidirectional coherent quasiparticles in the high-temperature rotational symmetry broken phase of AV3Sb5 kagome superconductors

Kagome metals AV(3)Sb(5)(1) (where the A can stand for K, Cs or Rb) display a rich phase diagram of correlated electron states, including superconductivity(2-4) and density waves(5-7). Within this landscape, recent experiments have revealed signs of a transition below approximately 35 K attributed to an electronic nematic phase that spontaneously breaks the rotational symmetry of the lattice(8). Here we show that the rotational symmetry breaking initiates universally at a high temperature in these materials, towards the 2 x 2 charge density wave transition temperature. We do this via spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunnelling microscopy and study the atomic-scale signatures of the electronic symmetry breaking across several materials in the AV(3)Sb(5) family: CsV3Sb5, KV3Sb5 and Sn-doped CsV3Sb5. Below a substantially lower temperature of about 30 K, we measure the quantum interference of quasiparticles, a key signature for the formation of a coherent electronic state. These quasiparticles display a pronounced unidirectional feature in reciprocal space that strengthens as the superconducting state is approached. Our experiments reveal that high-temperature rotation symmetry breaking and the charge ordering states are separated from the superconducting ground state by an intermediate-temperature regime with coherent unidirectional quasiparticles. This picture is phenomenologically different compared to that in high-temperature superconductors, shedding light on the complex nature of rotation symmetry breaking in AV(3)Sb(5) kagome superconductors.

Automated summary

Kagome metals AV(3)Sb(5) exhibit a rich phase diagram of correlated electron states, including superconductivity and density waves. Recent experiments have indicated the presence of an electronic nematic phase that breaks the rotational symmetry of the lattice below approximately 35 K. Through spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunnelling microscopy, we have demonstrated that this rotational symmetry breaking occurs universally at high temperatures in these materials. We have also observed the formation of coherent unidirectional quasiparticles at lower temperatures, suggesting a different phenomenology compared to high-temperature superconductors.