Interacting electrons in a semiconductor quantum dot at strong magnetic fields exhibit a rich set of states, including correlated quantum fluids and crystallites of various symmetries. We develop in this paper a perturbative scheme based on the correlated basis functions of the composite-fermion theory, that allows a systematic improvement of the wave functions and the energies for low-lying eigenstates. For a test of the method, we study systems for which exact results are known, and find that practically exact answers are obtained for the ground state wave function, ground state energy, excitation gap, and the pair correlation function. We show how the perturbative scheme helps resolve the subtle physics of competing orders in certain anomalous cases.
A generalized Peierls substitution which takes into account a Berry phase term must be considered for the semiclassical treatment of electrons in a magnetic field. This substitution turns out to be an essential element for the correct determination of the semiclassical equations of motion as well as for the semiclassical Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition for energy levels. A general expression for the cross-sectional area is derived and used as an illustration for the calculation of the energy levels of Bloch and Dirac electrons.
The longitudinal resistivity of two dimensional (2D) electrons placed in strong magnetic field is significantly reduced by applied electric field, an effect which is studied in a broad range of magnetic fields and temperatures in GaAs quantum wells with high electron density. The data are found to be in good agreement with theory, considering the strong nonlinearity of the resistivity as result of non-uniform spectral diffusion of the 2D electrons. Inelastic processes limit the diffusion. Comparison with the theory yields the inelastic scattering time of the two dimensional electrons. In the temperature range T=2-10(K) for overlapping Landau levels, the inelastic scattering rate is found to be proportional to T^2, indicating a dominant contribution of the electron-electron scattering to the inelastic relaxation. In a strong magnetic field, the nonlinear resistivity demonstrates scaling behavior, indicating a specific regime of electron heating of well-separated Landau levels. In this regime the inelastic scattering rate is found to be proportional to T^3, suggesting the electron-phonon scattering as the dominant mechanism of the inelastic relaxation.
Using the method of energy-level statistics, the localization properties of electrons moving in two dimensions in the presence of a perpendicular random magnetic field and additional random disorder potentials are investigated. For this model, extended states have recently been proposed to exist in the middle of the band. In contrast, from our calculations of the large-$s$ behavior of the nearest neighbor level spacing distribution $P(s)$ and from a finite size scaling analysis we find only localized states in the suggested energy and disorder range.
Effect of dc electric field on transport of highly mobile 2D electrons is studied in wide GaAs single quantum wells placed in titled magnetic fields. The study shows that in perpendicular magnetic field resistance oscillates due to electric field induced Landau-Zener transitions between quantum levels that corresponds to geometric resonances between cyclotron orbits and periodic modulation of electron density of states. Magnetic field tilt inverts these oscillations. Surprisingly the strongest inverted oscillations are observed at a tilt corresponding to nearly absent modulation of the electron density of states in regime of magnetic breakdown of semiclassical electron orbits. This phenomenon establishes an example of quantum resistance oscillations due to Landau quantization, which occur in electron systems with a constant density of states.