Electronic nematicity, a state with broken rotational symmetry, is crucial in understanding unconventional electron pairing in iron-based superconductors. Here, the authors use spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunnelling microscopy to visualize atomic-scale nematicity in BaFe₂As₂, revealing energy-dependent orbital splitting and single impurity sensitivity, offering insights into the role of nematic order in unconventional superconductors
- Qiang-Jun Cheng
- Yong-Wei Wang
- Can-Li Song