Paired electron crystal with Berry curvature

At sufficiently strong Coulomb coupling, a two-dimensional electron system minimizes its energy by forming a periodic charge-ordered phase known as a Wigner crystal. Conventional Wigner crystals host one electron per lattice site. Previous theoretical studies have found paired Wigner crystals—with two electrons per unit cell—to be stable but energetically unfavorable. We have investigated the effects of Berry curvature on such paired crystalline phases, including the angular momentum of the pairs and the range of stability of the state.