Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userFractional Quantum Hall Effect at $ u=1/2$ in Hole Systems Confined to GaAs Quantum Wells
114
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
We observe fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) at the even-denominator Landau level filling factor $ u=1/2$ in two-dimensional hole systems confined to GaAs quantum wells of width 30 to 50 nm and having bilayer-like charge distributions. The $ u=1/2$ FQHE is stable when the charge distribution is symmetric and only in a range of intermediate densities, qualitatively similar to what is seen in two-dimensional electron systems confined to approximately twice wider GaAs quantum wells. Despite the complexity of the hole Landau level structure, originating from the coexistence and mixing of the heavy- and light-hole states, we find the hole $ u=1/2$ FQHE to be consistent with a two-component, Halperin-Laughlin ($Psi_{331}$) state.
rate research
Read More
We report the observation of developing fractional quantum Hall states at Landau level filling factors $ u = 1/2$ and 1/4 in electron systems confined to wide GaAs quantum wells with significantly $asymmetric$ charge distributions. The very large electric subband separation and the highly asymmetric charge distribution at which we observe these quantum Hall states, together with the fact that they disappear when the charge distribution is made symmetric, suggest that these are one-component states, possibly described by the Moore-Read Pfaffian wavefunction.
The nature of the fractional quantum Hall effect at $ u=1/2$ observed in wide quantum wells almost three decades ago is still under debate. Previous studies have investigated it by the variational Monte Carlo method, which makes the assumption that the transverse wave function and the gap between the symmetric and antisymmetric subbands obtained in a local density approximation at zero magnetic field remain valid even at high perpendicular magnetic fields; this method also ignores the effect of Landau level mixing. We develop in this work a three-dimensional fixed phase Monte Carlo method, which gives, in a single framework, the total energies of various candidate states in a finite width quantum well, including Landau level mixing, directly in a large magnetic field. This method can be applied to one-component states, as well two-component states in the limit where the symmetric and antisymmetric bands are nearly degenerate. Our three-dimensional fixed-phase diffusion Monte Carlo calculations suggest that the observed 1/2 fractional quantum Hall state in wide quantum wells is likely to be the one-component Pfaffian state supporting non-Abelian excitations. We hope that this will motivate further experimental studies of this state.
We present a comprehensive numerical study of a microscopic model of the fractional quantum Hall system at filling fraction $ u = 5/2$, based on the disc geometry. Our model includes Coulomb interaction and a semi-realistic confining potential. We also mix in some three-body interaction in some cases to help elucidate the physics. We obtain a phase diagram, discuss the conditions under which the ground state can be described by the Moore-Read state, and study its competition with neighboring stripe phases. We also study quasihole excitations and edge excitations in the Moore-Read--like state. From the evolution of edge spectrum, we obtain the velocities of the charge and neutral edge modes, which turn out to be very different. This separation of velocities is a source of decoherence for a non-Abelian quasihole/quasiparticle (with charge $pm e/4$) when propagating at the edge; using numbers obtained from a specific set of parameters we estimate the decoherence length to be around four microns. This sets an upper bound for the separation of the two point contacts in a double point contact interferometer, designed to detect the non-Abelian nature of such quasiparticles. We also find a state that is a potential candidate for the recently proposed anti-Pfaffian state. We find the speculated anti-Pfaffian state is favored in weak confinement (smooth edge) while the Moore-Read Pfaffian state is favored in strong confinement (sharp edge).
The interplay between interaction and disorder-induced localization is of fundamental interest. This article addresses localization physics in the fractional quantum Hall state, where both interaction and disorder have nonperturbative consequences. We provide compelling theoretical evidence that the localization of a single quasiparticle of the fractional quantum Hall state at filling factor $ u=n/(2n+1)$ has a striking {it quantitative} correspondence to the localization of a single electron in the $(n+1)$th Landau level. By analogy to the dramatic experimental manifestations of Anderson localization in integer quantum Hall effect, this leads to predictions in the fractional quantum Hall regime regarding the existence of extended states at a critical energy, and the nature of the divergence of the localization length as this energy is approached. Within a mean field approximation these results can be extended to situations where a finite density of quasiparticles is present.
We report quantitative measurements of the impact of alloy disorder on the $ u=5/2$ fractional quantum Hall state. Alloy disorder is controlled by the aluminum content $x$ in the Al$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$As channel of a quantum well. We find that the $ u=5/2$ state is suppressed with alloy scattering. To our surprise, in samples with alloy disorder the $ u=5/2$ state appears at significantly reduced mobilities when compared to samples in which alloy disorder is not the dominant scattering mechanism. Our results highlight the distinct roles of the different types of disorder present in these samples, such as the short-range alloy and the long-range Coulomb disorder.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
