Emergent Charge Order Near the Doping-Induced Mott-Insulating Quantum Phase Transition in Sr₃Ru₂O₇

Search for novel electronically ordered states of matter emerging near quantum phase transitions (QPT) is an intriguing frontier of condensed matter physics. Here we investigate the double layered Sr₃(Ru_1-xMn_x)₂O₇ and its doping-induced quantum phase transition (QPT) from a metal to an antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mott insulator. Using spectroscopic imaging with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), we visualize the evolution of the electronic states in real- and momentum-space. We find a pseudogap phase that develops with doping to form a weak Mott insulating (Δ ~ 100meV) state. Near the QPT, we discover a spatial electronic reorganization into a commensurate checkerboard charge order. These findings share close resemblance to the well-established universal charge order in the pseudogap phase of cuprates. Our experiments and complementary tight-binding model calculations provide insights into the origin and ubiquity of the incipient charge order that emanates from doped Mott insulators.