Magnetic-field-induced transformations of Wigner molecule symmetry in quantum dots

A theoretical study has been performed for the ground-state spatial configuration of Wigner molecules with $N=2,\dots ,20\mathrm{}$ electrons in quantum dots subjected to an external magnetic field. We have shown that—for $N>~6$—the Wigner molecule formed in the magnetic field above the maximum-density-droplet instability has a different shape than in the high-field limit. We have found several magnetic-field-induced transitions between molecular phases with different spatial symmetry.