The lack of inversion symmetry at the surface of a bulk material can give rise to confined surface states, offering a quasi-two-dimensional platform for investigating electronic correlation effects, even in weakly correlated materials. Here, we report the observation of an electronic liquid-crystal smectic order at a Co-terminated surface of monoclinic ${\mathrm{CoSb}}_2$. Our low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy measurements reveal a bias-dependent behavior of the smectic charge order, exhibiting checkerboard and stripe patterns at positive and negative bias voltages, respectively. Theoretical calculations indicate that the charge order arises from pronounced quasi-one-dimensional Fermi-surface nesting of the emergent surface bands. These findings highlight the potential to induce exotic correlated states on the terminated surfaces of conventional materials, broadening the spectrum of candidates with strong correlation.

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• Charge order
• Surfaces
• First-principles calculations
• Scanning tunneling microscopy