Angle-Resolved Transport Measurements Reveal Electronic Nematicity in Cuprate Superconductors

Observations of spontaneous breaking of the rotational symmetry in an electron fluid, the so-called “electronic nematicity,” have been reported in several quantum materials. We have developed several different methods, based on angle-resolved transport measurements, to determine the amplitude and the director of the nematic order. We present methods that are applicable to thin films or single crystals, illustrate them with transport data obtained on copper oxide superconductors, and discuss their relative advantages and disadvantages.