arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to John J. Quinn.
We present a generalization of the composite Fermion picture for a muticomponent quantum Hall plasma which contains particle with different effective charges. The model predicts very well the low-lying states of a $ν=5/2$ quantum Hall state found in numerical diagonalization.
The correlations that give rise to incompressible quantum liquid (IQL) states in fractional quantum Hall systems are determined by the pseudopotential $V(\mathcal R)$ describing the interaction of a pair of Fermions in a degenerate Landau level (LL) as a function of relative pair angular momentum $\mathcal R$. $V(\mathcal R)$ is known for a number of different Fermion systems, e.g. electrons in the lowest Landau level (LL0) or the first excited Landau level (LL1), and for quasiparticles of Laughlin-Jain IQL states. Laughlin correlations, the avoidance of pair states with the smallest values of $\mathcal R$, occur only when $V(\mathcal R)$ satisfies certain conditions. We show that Jain's composite Fermion (CF) picture is valid only if the conditions necessary for Laughlin correlations are satisfied, and we present a rigorous justification of the CF picture without the need of introducing an "irrelevant" mean field energy scale. Electrons in LL1 and quasielectrons in IQL states (e.g. QEs in CF LL1) do not necessarily support Laughlin correlations. Numerical diagonalization studies for small systems of Fermions (electrons in LL0 or in LL1, and QEs in CF LL1), with the use appropriate pseudopotentials $V(\mathcal R)$, show clear evidence for different types of correlations. The relation between LL degeneracy $g=2\ell+1$ and number of Fermions $N$ at which IQL states are found is known for a limited range of $N$ values. However, no simple intuitive models that we have tried satisfactorily describe all of the systems we have studied. Successes and shortcomings of some simple models are discussed, and suggestions for further investigation are made.
We present a quantitative study of most prominent incompressible quantum Hall states in the partially filled first excited Landau level (LL1) which have been recently studied experimentally by Choi et al. The pseudopotential describing the electron - electron interaction in LL1 is harmonic at short range. It produces a series of incompressible states which is different from its LL0 counterpart. The numerical data indicate that the most prominent states $ν={5/2}$, 7/3, and 8/3 are not produced by Laughlin correlated electrons, but result from a tendency of electrons to form pairs or larger clusters which eventually become Laughlin correlated. States with smaller gaps at filling factors 14/5, 16/7, 11/5, 19/7 are Laughlin correlated electron or hole states and fit Jain's sequence of filled $\rm{CF}^4$ levels.
Spin polarization of the "second generation" nu_e=4/11 fractional quantum Hall state (corresponding to an incompressible liquid in a one-third-filled composite fermion Landau level) is studied by exact diagonalization. Spin phase diagram is determined for GaAs structures of different width and electron concentration. Transition between the polarized and partially unpolarized states with distinct composite fermion correlations is predicted for realistic parameters.
The nu=5/2 fractional quantum Hall state is studied numerically, directly including the effects of electron scattering between neighboring Landau levels. Significant reduction of the excitation gap caused by the LL mixing explains the discrepancy between earlier calculations and experiments. On the other hand, LL mixing also considerably reduces overlaps with the Moore--Read wavefunction, raising a question of the actual realization of nonabelian quasiparticles in present experiments.
Binding energies of negative and positive trions in doped GaAs quantum wells in high magnetic fields are studied by exact numerical diagonalization in spherical geometry. Compared to earlier calculations, finite width of the quantum well and its asymmetry caused by one-sided doping are both fully taken into account by using self-consistent subband wave functions in the integration of Coulomb matrix elements, and by inclusion of higher subbands along with several Landau levels in the Hilbert space. Detailed analysis of the accuracy and convergence of the exact diagonalization scheme is presented, including dependence on Landau level and subband mixing, sensitivity to the (not well known) single-particle spectrum in the valence band, and the estimate of finite-size errors. The main results are the exciton dispersion and trion binding energy spectrum calculated as a function of the magnetic field, quantum well width, electron concentration, and the presence of an ionized impurity. As a complementary approach, a combination of the exact diagonalization in the quantum well plane and the variational calculation in the normal direction is used as well.
Two- and three-body correlations of incompressible quantum liquids are studied numerically. Pairing of composite fermions (CFs) in the 1/3-filled second CF Landau level is found at nu_e=4/11. It is explained by reduced short-range repulsion due to ring-like single-particle charge distribution. Although Moore-Read state of CFs is unstable in the 1/2-filled second CF level, condensation of its quasiholes is a possible origin of incompressibility at nu_e=4/11. Electron pairing occurs at nu_e=7/3 and 13/3, but with different pair-pair correlations. Signatures of triplets are found at higher fillings.
Photoluminescence (PL) has been used to study two-dimensional incompressible electron liquids in high magnetic fields for nearly two decades. However, some of the observed anomalies coincident with the fractional quantum Hall effect are still unexplained. We show that emission in these systems occurs from fractionally charged "quasiexciton" states formed from trions correlated with the surrounding electrons. Their binding and recombination depend on the state of both the electron liquid and the involved trion, predicting discontinuities in PL and sensitivity to sample parameters.
Pair-distribution functions g(r) of Laughlin quasielectrons (composite fermions in their second Landau level) are calculated in the fractional quantum Hall states at electron filling factors nu_e=4/11 and 3/8. A shoulder in g(r) is found, supporting the idea of cluster formation. The intra- and inter-cluster contributions to g(r) are identified, largely independent of nu_e. The average cluster sizes are estimated; pairs and triplets of quasielectrons are suggested at nu_e=4/11 and 3/8, respectively.
Two- and three-body correlations in partially filled degenerate fermion shells are studied numerically for various interactions between the particles. Three distinct correlation regimes are defined, depending on the short-range behavior of the pair pseudopotential. For pseudopotentials similar to those of electrons in the first excited Landau level, correlations at half-filling have a simple three-body form consisting of the maximum avoidance of the triplet state with the smallest relative angular momentum R_3=3. In analogy to the superharmonic criterion for Laughlin two-body correlations, their occurrence is related to the form of the three-body pseudopotential at short range. The spectra of a model three-body repulsion are calculated, and the zero-energy Moore--Read ground state, its +-e/4-charged quasiparticles, and the magnetoroton and pair-breaking bands are all identified. The quasiparticles are correctly described by a composite fermion model appropriate for Halperin's p-type pairing with Laughlin correlations between the pairs. However, the Moore--Read ground state, and specially its excitations, have small overlaps with the corresponding Coulomb eigenstates when calculated on a sphere. The reason lies in surface curvature which affects the form of pair pseudopotential for which the "R_3>3" three-body correlations occur. In finite systems, such pseudopotential must be slightly superharmonic at short range (different from Coulomb pseudopotential). However, the connection with the three-body pseudopotential is less size-dependent, suggesting that the Moore--Read state and its excitations are a more accurate description for experimental nu=5/2 states than could be expected from previous calculations.
Interaction between spin waves (or excitons) moving in the lowest Landau level is studied using numerical diagonalization. Becuse of complicated statistics obeyed by these composite particles, their effective interaction is completely different from the dipole-dipole interaction predicted in the model of independent (bosonic) waves. In particular, spin waves moving in the same direction attract one another which leads to their dynamical binding. The interaction pseudopotentials V_[up,up](k) and V_[up,down](k) for two spin waves with equal wavevectors k and moving in the same or opposite directions have been calculated and shown to obey power laws V(k) ~ k^alpha at small k. A high value of alpha_[up,up]~4 explains the occurrence of linear bands in the spin excitation spectra of quantum Hall droplets.
The energy spectra and wavefunctions of up to 14 interacting quasielectrons (QE's) in the Laughlin nu=1/3 fractional quantum Hall (FQH) state are investigated using exact numerical diagonalization. It is shown that at sufficiently high density the QE's form pairs or larger clusters. This behavior, opposite to Laughlin correlations, invalidates the (sometimes invoked) reapplication of the composite fermion picture to the individual QE's. The series of finite-size incompressible ground states are identified at the QE filling factors nu_QE=1/2, 1/3, 2/3, corresponding to the electron fillings nu=3/8, 4/11, 5/13. The equivalent quasihole (QH) states occur at nu_QH=1/4, 1/5, 2/7, corresponding to nu=3/10, 4/13, 5/17. All these six novel FQH states were recently discovered experimentally. Detailed analysis indicates that QE or QH correlations in these states are different from those of well-known FQH electron states (e.g., Laughlin or Moore-Read states), leaving the origin of their incompressibility uncertain. Halperin's idea of Laughlin states of QP pairs is also explored, but is does not seem adequate.
The residual interactions between Laughlin quasiparticles can be obtained from exact numerical diagonalization studies of small systems. The pseudopotentials V_QP(R)$ describing the energy of interaction of QE's (or QH's) as a function of their "relative angular momentum" R cannot support Laughlin correlations at certain QP filling factors (e.g., nu_QE}=1/3 and nu_QH=1/5). Because of this the novel condensed quantum fluid states observed at nu=4/11, 4/13 and other filling fractions cannot possibly be spin polarized Laughlin correlated QP states of the composite Fermion hierarchy. Pairing of the QP's clearly must occur, but the exact nature of the incompressible ground states is not completely clear.
The electronic properties of quasi two-dimensional multicomponent systems are investigated in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field. The effects of the presence of a few valence band holes on the properties of quantum Hall systems are examined by analyzing the results of exact numerical diagonalization of small electron-hole systems confined to the spherical surface. The novel type of elementary excitations, the angular momenta, binding energies, interaction pseudopotentials, and effects on the photoluminescence spectrum are presented.
Fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states have recently been observed at unexpected values of the filling factor nu. Here we interpret these states as a novel family of FQH states involving pairing correlations rather than Laughlin correlations among the quasiparticles (QP's). The correlations depend upon the behavior of the QP-QP pseudopotential V_QP(L'), the interaction energy of a pair as a function of the pair angular momentum L'. This behavior, known from numerical studies of small systems, is used to demonstrate that pairing correlations give rise to FQH states at the experimentally observed values of nu.
The occurrence of incompressible quantum fluid states of a two dimensional system is a result of electron--electron interactions in a highly degenerate fractionally filled Landau level. Novel quasiparticles (QP's) called composite Fermions (CF's) have allowed a simple single particle description of the most prominent incompressible states. Residual interactions among these QP's are investigated. These interactions determine the type of "daughter states" that can occur at the next generation. We demonstrate that at certain values of the QP filling factor nu_QP, Laughlin correlations among the QP's give rise to states of the standard CF hierarchy. At other values of nu_QP pairing of QP's is found leading to a novel hierarchy of incompressible states.
A novel hierarchy of fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states in the lowest Landau level (LL) is proposed to explain recently observed FQH fractions such as nu=5/13, 3/8, or 4/11. Based on the analysis of their interaction pseudopotentials, it is argued that the Laughlin quasiparticles (particles/holes in a partially filled composite fermion LL) form pairs. These pairs are proposed to have Laughlin correlations with one another and to form condensed states at a sequence of fractions which includes all new fractions observed in experiment.
We report on the numerical study of the relaxation rates of nuclear spins coupled through the hyperfine interaction to a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at magnetic fields corresponding to both fractional and integral Landau level (LL) fillings nu. The Hamiltonians of up to 20 interacting electrons are diagonalized exactly in the spherical geometry, neglecting finite layer width, disorder, and LL mixing. The spectral functions tau^-1(E) describing response of the 2DEG to the reversal of an embedded localized spin are calculated. In a (locally) incompressible nu=1 or 1/3 state, the finite Coulomb energy of short spin waves, together with the small nuclear Zeeman energy, prevent nuclear spin relaxation even in the limit of vanishing electron Zeeman energy E_Z. However, we find that the nuclear spins can couple to the internal excitations of mobile finite-size skyrmions that appear in the 2DEG at sufficiently low E_Z and at nu slightly different from 1 or 1/3. The experimentally observed dependence of nuclear spin relaxation rate on E_Z and nu is qualitatively explained in terms of the occurrence of skyrmions and antiskyrmions of various topological charge.