Evidence on the macroscopic length scale spin coherence for the edge currents in a narrow HgTe quantum well

We experimentally investigate spin-polarized electron transport between two ferromagnetic contacts, placed at the edge of a two-dimensional electron system with band inversion. The system is realized in a narrow (8~nm) HgTe quantum well, the ferromagnetic side contacts are formed from a pre-magnetized permalloy film. In zero magnetic field, we find a significant edge current contribution to the transport between two ferromagnetic contacts. We experimentally demonstrate that this transport is sensitive to the mutual orientation of the magnetization directions of two 200~$mu$m-spaced ferromagnetic leads. This is a direct experimental evidence on the spin-coherent edge transport over the macroscopic distances. Thus, the spin is extremely robust at the edge of a two-dimensional electron system with band inversion, confirming the helical spin-resolved nature of edge currents.

Conductance oscillations at the interface between a superconductor and the helical edge channel in a narrow HgTe quantum well

We experimentally investigate electron transport through the interface between a superconductor and the edge of a two-dimensional electron system with band inversion. The interface is realized as a tunnel NbN side contact to a narrow 8~nm HgTe quantum well. It demonstrates a typical Andreev behavior with finite conductance within the superconducting gap. Surprisingly, the conductance is modulated by a number of equally-spaced oscillations. The oscillations are present only within the superconducting gap and at lowest, below 1~K, temperatures. The oscillations disappear completely in magnetic fields, normal to the two-dimensional electron system plane. In contrast, the oscillations period is only weakly affected by the highest, up to 14~T, in-plane oriented magnetic fields. We interpret this behavior as the interference oscillations in a helical one-dimensional edge channel due to a proximity with a superconductor.

Strong coupling between a permalloy ferromagnetic contact and a helical edge channel in a narrow HgTe quantum well

We experimentally investigate spin-polarized electron transport between a permalloy ferromagnet and the edge of a two-dimensional electron system with band inversion, realized in a narrow, 8~nm wide HgTe quantum well. In zero magnetic field, we observe strong asymmetry of the edge potential distribution with respect to the ferromagnetic ground lead. This result indicates, that the helical edge channel, specific for the structures with band inversion even at the conductive bulk, is strongly coupled to the ferromagnetic side contact, possibly due to the effects of proximity magnetization. It allows selective and spin-sensitive contacting of helical edge states.

Interference effects in transport across a single incompressible strip at the edge of the fractional quantum Hall system

We experimentally investigate interference effects in transport across a single incompressible strip at the edge of the quantum Hall system by using a Fabry-Perot type interferometer. We find the interference oscillations in transport across the incompressible strips with local filling factors $ u_c=1, 4/3, 2/3$ even at high imbalances, exceeding the spectral gaps. In contrast, there is no sign of the interference in transport across the principal Laughlin $ u_c=1/3$ incompressible strip. This indicates, that even at fractional $ u_c$, the interference effects are caused by normal electrons. The oscillations period is determined by the effective interferometer area, which is sensitive to the filling factors because of screening effects.

Experimental realization of a Fabry-Perot-type interferometer by co-propagating edge states in the quantum Hall regime

A Fabry-Perot-type interferometer is experimentally realized for electrons in a semiconductor device. A special experimental geometry creates interference conditions for co-propagating electrons in quantum Hall edge states, which results in oscillations of the current through the device. The visibility of these oscillations is found to increase at the high-field edge of the quantum Hall plateau.

Separately contacted edge states at high imbalance in the integer and fractional quantum Hall effect regime

This review presents experimental results on the inter-edge-state transport in the quantum Hall effect, mostly obtained in the regime of high imbalance. The application of a special geometry makes it possible to perform I-V spectroscopy between individual edge channels in both the integer and the fractional regime. This makes it possible to study in detail a number of physical effects such as the creation of topological defects in the integer quantum Hall effect and neutral collective modes excitation in fractional regime. The while many of the experimental findings are well explained within established theories of the quantum Hall effects, a number of observations give new insight into the local structure at the sample edge, which can serve as a starting point for further theoretical studies.

Manifestation of a complex edge excitation structure in the fractional quantum Hall regime at high filling factors

We experimentally study equilibration across the sample edge at high fractional filling factors 4/3, 5/3 under experimental conditions, which allow us to obtain high imbalance conditions. We find a lack of the full equilibration across the edge even in the flat-band situation, where no potential barrier survives at the sample edge. We interpret this result as the manifestation of complicated edge excitation structure at high fractional filling factors 4/3, 5/3. Also, a mobility gap in the $ u_c=1$ incompressible strip is determined in normal and tilted magnetic fields.