Current-induced anisotropy and reordering of the electron liquid-crystal phases in a two-dimensional electron system

The correlated phases in a two-dimensional electron system with a high index partially filled Landau level are studied in transport under nonequilibrium conditions by imposing a dc-current drive. At filling 1/4 and 3/4 of these Landau levels, where the charge density wave picture predicts an isotropic bubble phase, the dc drive induces anisotropic transport behavior consistent with stripe order. The easy axis of the emerging anisotropic phase is perpendicular to the drive. At half filling the anisotropic stripe phase is stabilized by the dc drive provided drive and easy-axis directions coincide.