Topological defects such as dislocations and disclinations are predicted to
determine the twodimensional (2-D) melting transition. In 2-D superconducting
vortex lattices, macroscopic measurements evidence melting close to the
transition to the normal state. However, the direct observation at the scale of
individual vortices of the melting sequence has never been performed. Here we
provide step by step imaging through scanning tunneling spectroscopy of a 2-D
system of vortices up to the melting transition in a focused-ion-beam
nanodeposited W-based superconducting thin film. We show directly the
transition into an isotropic liquid below the superconducting critical
temperature. Before that, we find a hexatic phase, characterized by the
appearance of free dislocations, and a smectic-like phase, possibly originated
through partial disclination unbinding. These results represent a significant
step in the understanding of melting of 2-D systems, with impact across several
research fields, such as liquid crystal molecules, or lipids in membranes.Comment: Submitted to Nature Physic
