arXiv subjects

K. W. West

Publications and source records attributed to K. W. West.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Successive Phase Transitions from a Composite Fermion Liquid to a Fractional Quantum Hall State at ν=3/2 Driven by In-Plane Magnetic Field

We report an even-denominator fractional quantum Hall state at ν = 3/2 induced entirely by in-plane magnetic field B_|| in an ultra-high-mobility GaAs quantum well. As B_|| increases, the system undergoes two successive transitions: from a composite fermion liquid to a soft-gap FQH state (B_||~12.2 T), then via a topological phase transition to a hard-gap robust FQH state (B_||~14.7 T), accompanied by a daughter state at ν = 19/13. We present systematic data, and discuss a possible scenario in interpreting these findings. Our work demonstrates that topological order may be engineered through k-space Fermi contour splitting under an in-plane magnetic field.

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arXiv2026

Radiowave-induced Resistance Oscillations

Microwave-induced resistance oscillations (MIROs) occur when a 2D electron gas is subjected to radiation of frequency $ω= 2 πf$ and varying magnetic field $B$. MIROs are periodic in $1/B$, with the period determined by the radiation frequency $ω$, and their amplitude scales with the radiation power. Stepping from single-photon transitions between Landau levels, MIROs are found on the low-field side of the cyclotron resonance, $ω_c \lesssim ω$, where $ω_c$ is the cyclotron frequency. Here, we report on another class of magneto resistance oscillations, which are induced by high-intensity radiation in the radio frequency range and occur at $ω_c \gg ω$. These oscillations are independent of frequency $ω$, can be either $1/B$ or $1/B^2$-periodic, and their period is controlled by the radiation electric field. We further show that using a displacement model in the limit of short-range (``sharp'') disorder we can extract the radiation field and the width of the cyclotron resonance.

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arXiv2026

Demonstration of a Field-Effect Three-Terminal Electronic Device with an Electron Mobility Exceeding 40 Million cm^2/(Vs)

We report the fabrication and operation of a source-drain-gate three-terminal field-effect electronic device with an electron mobility exceeding $40\times 10^6$ cm$^2$ / (Vs). Several devices were fabricated, with the highest achieved electron mobility obtained using a symmetrically-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well forming a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with a density of $1.47(1) \times 10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a pristine, pre-fabrication electron mobility of $44(2) \times 10^6$ cm$^2$/(\text{Vs}). To circumvent the well-known degradation of electron mobility during fabrication, devices were fabricated using a flip-chip technique where all lithographic processing steps were performed on a separate sapphire substrate. This method demonstrates the successful operation of various gate assembly designs on distinct 2DEGs without observable mobility degradation. This advance doubles the previous record for field-effect electronic device mobility and enables access to new regimes of quantum transport and applications that were previously unfathomable due to mobility limitations.

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arXiv2026

Melting of quantum Hall Wigner and bubble crystals

A two-dimensional crystal melts via the proliferation and unbinding of topological defects, yet quantitatively predicting the melting temperature $T_m$ in real systems is challenging. Here we resolve this discrepancy in quantum Hall electron bubble phases by combining Corbino-geometry transport experiment in an ultraclean GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well for Landau levels 2 to 5 with Hartree--Fock elasticity and the full Kosterlitz--Thouless--Halperin--Nelson--Young melting criterion including the finite-temperature renormalization-group calculation. The theoretically obtained $T_m$ quantitatively captures the measured solid-liquid phase transition boundaries across all probed ranges, validating the bubble-crystal interpretation and establishing defect--mediated melting as a predictive framework for strongly interacting electronic solids. This agreement further supports using bulk transport to probe the energetics of topological defects and screening in quantum Hall physics, and the approach is readily extendable to other electronic crystals, including the generalized Wigner crystal in moiré Chern bands.

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arXiv2025

Resonant Magneto-phonon Emission by Supersonic Electrons in Ultra-high Mobility Two-dimensional System

We investigate resonant acoustic phonon scattering in the magneto-resistivity of an ultra-high mobility two-dimensional electron gas system subject to DC current in the temperature range 10 mK to 3.9 K. For a DC current density of $\sim$1.1 A/m, the induced carrier drift velocity $v_{drift}$ becomes equal to the speed of sound $s \sim$ 3 km/s. When $v_{drift} \gtrsim s$ very strong resonant features with only weak temperature dependence are observed and identified as phonon-induced resistance oscillations at and above the "sound barrier". Their behavior contrasts with that in the subsonic regime ($v_{drift} < s$) where resonant acoustic phonon scattering is strongly suppressed when the temperature is reduced unless amplified with quasi-elastic inter-Landau-level scattering. Our observations are compared to recent theoretical predictions from which we can extract a dimensionless electron-phonon coupling constant of $g^{2}$=0.0016 for the strong non-linear transport regime. We find evidence for a predicted oscillation phase change ' effect on traversing the "sound barrier". Crossing the "sound barrier" fundamentally alters the resulting phonon emission processes, and the applied magnetic field results in pronounced and sharp resonant phonon emission due to Landau level quantization.

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arXiv2025

High-order two-component fractional quantum Hall states around filling factor $ν= 1$

Two-component fractional quantum Hall (2C-FQH) states in electron bilayers have been known for decades, yet their experimental realization remained limited to low-order fractions. Here we report on several families of high-order 2C-FQH states that emerge when an in-plane magnetic field drives a controlled monolayer-to-bilayer transition in an ultra-high-mobility GaAs quantum well. These families of states proliferate symmetrically toward the filling factor $ν= 1$, from both $ν= 2/3$ and $ν= 4/3$, thereby respecting particle-hole symmetry. Surprisingly, many unbalanced states (with unequal layer fillings) are more robust than their parent balanced states, defying the expected hierarchy of Jain sequences. Our findings substantially expand the known landscape of 2C-FQH states, highlighting the unexpected richness of the bilayer quantum Hall regime and opening new routes for probing the interplay of symmetry, topology, and interactions in quantum Hall systems.

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arXiv2025

Density Dependence of the Phases of the $ν= 1$ Integer Quantum Hall Plateau in Low Disorder Electron Gases

Recent magnetotransport measurements in low-disorder electron systems confined to GaAs/AlGaAs samples revealed that the $ν= 1$ integer quantum Hall plateau is broken into three distinct regions. These three regions were associated with two phases with different types of bulk localization: the Anderson insulator is due to random quasiparticle localization, and the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid is due to pinning of a stiff quasiparticle lattice. We highlight universal properties of the $ν= 1$ plateau: the structure of the stability diagram, the non-monotonic dependence of the activation energy on the filling factor, and the alignment of features of the activation energy with features of the stability regions of the different phases are found to be similar in three samples spanning a wide range of electron densities. We also discuss quantitative differences between the samples, such as the dependence of the onset temperature and the activation energy of the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid on the electron density. Our findings provide insights into the localization behavior along the $ν= 1$ integer quantum Hall plateau in the low disorder regime.

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arXiv2025

Interaction-Driven Asymmetry in the Breakdown of the $ν$ = 1 Quantum Hall State

We report real-time detection of longitudinal and transverse transport responses across distinct frequency bands in a ferromagnetic filling factor $ν$ = 1 integer quantum Hall state. By tuning $ν$, we simultaneously access the evolution of the screening environment and bulk excitation structure. The resulting asymmetric breakdown, for $ν>1$ and $ν<1$, reveals that interaction effects, rather than a single-particle band picture, dominate the transport instability. Our findings highlight the indispensability of electron-electron interactions even in integer quantum Hall phases, suggesting that distinct many-body entanglement structures underlie both integer and fractional topological phases.

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arXiv2024

Thermal Activation Signatures of the Anderson Insulator and the Wigner Solid forming near $ν=1$

When interactions overcome disorder, integer quantum Hall plateaus support topological phases with different bulk insulators. In the center of the $ν=1$ plateau the bulk is an Anderson-type insulator, while in the flanks of the plateau the bulk is the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid. We find that the activation energy along the $ν=1$ plateau exhibits a very dramatic non-monotonic dependence on the magnetic field, a dependence that is strongly correlated with the stability regions of the two phases. Furthermore, the activation energy has an unexpected minimum at the boundary between the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid. Our findings constrain the theory of the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid, determine its thermodynamic properties, and reveal novel behavior at the boundary between the Anderson insulator and the Wigner solid.

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arXiv2024

Two-dimensional hydrodynamic viscous electron flow in annular Corbino rings

The concept of fluidic viscosity is ubiquitous in our everyday life and for it to arise the fluidic medium must necessarily form a continuum where macroscopic properties can emerge. While a powerful concept for tangible liquids, hydrodynamic manifestation of collective flow in electronic systems such as two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) has only been shown recently to occur in graphene and GaAs/AlGaAs. Here, we present nonlocal electronic transport measurements in concentric annular rings formed in high-mobility GaAs/AlGaAs 2DEGs and the resulting data strongly suggest that viscous hydrodynamic flow can occur far away from the source-drain current region. Our conclusion of viscous electronic transport is further corroborated by simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations that are found to be in agreement with our measurements below 1K temperature. Most importantly, our work emphasizes the key role played by viscosity via electron-electron (e-e) interaction when hydrodynamic transport is restricted radially, and for which a priori should not have played a major role.

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arXiv2024

Aharonov-Borm oscillation and Microwave-induced edge-magnetoplasmon modes enhanced by quantum point contact

AB oscillation in weak magnetic field (B<1.5kG) is observed in QPC due to interference between electrons propagating along different QPC channels. We also investigate photo-induced magnetoresistance oscillation in open-regime split-gate QPC under MW irradiation. It is attributed to EMPs interfering in the QPC region. The influence of MW power, frequency and split gate voltage is discussed thoroughly. We unify the result of photoconductance at B=0 with EMP theories.

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arXiv2024

Signatures of correlated defects in an ultra-clean Wigner crystal in the extreme quantum limit

Low-disorder two-dimensional electron systems in the presence of a strong, perpendicular magnetic field terminate at very small Landau level filling factors in a Wigner crystal (WC), where the electrons form an ordered array to minimize the Coulomb repulsion. The nature of this exotic, many-body, quantum phase is yet to be fully understood and experimentally revealed. Here we probe one of WC's most fundamental parameters, namely the energy gap that determines its low-temperature conductivity, in record-mobility, ultra-high-purity, two-dimensional electrons confined to GaAs quantum wells. The WC domains in these samples contain $\simeq$ 1000 electrons. The measured gaps are a factor of three larger than previously reported for lower quality samples, and agree remarkably well with values predicted for the lowest-energy, intrinsic, hyper-corelated bubble defects in a WC made of flux-electron composite fermions, rather than bare electrons. The agreement is particularly noteworthy, given that the calculations are done for disorder-free composite fermion WCs, and there are no adjustable parameters. The results reflect the exceptionally high quality of the samples, and suggest that composite fermion WCs are indeed more stable compared to their electron counterparts.

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arXiv2024

Pseudospin Polarization of Composite Fermions under Uniaxial Strain

A two dimensional system with extra degrees of freedom, such as spin and valley, is of great interest in the study of quantum phase transitions. The critical condition when a transition between different multicomponent fractional quantum Hall states appears is one of the very few junctions for many body problems between theoretical calculations and experiments. In this work, we present that uniaxial strain induces pseudospin transitions of composite fermions in a two-dimensional hole gas. Determined from transport behavior, strain along <111> effectively changes pseudospin energy levels. We deduce that diagonal strain dominates these variations. Our experiment provides a wedge for manipulating two dimensional interacting systems mechanically.

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arXiv2024

Topological protection revealed by real-time longitudinal and transverse studies

Topology provides an essential concept for achieving unchanged (or protected) quantum properties in the presence of perturbations. A challenge facing realistic applications is that the level of protection displayed in real systems is subject to substantial variations. Some key differences stem from mechanisms influencing the reconstruction behaviors of extended dissipationless modes. Despite various insightful results on potential causes of backscattering, the edge-state-based approach is limited because the bulk states, as shown by breakdown tests, contribute indispensably. This study investigates the influence of bulk reconstruction where dissipationless modes are global objects instead of being restricted to the sample edge. An integer quantum Hall effect (IQHE) hosted in a Corbino sample geometry is adopted and brought continuously to the verge of a breakdown. A detection technique is developed to include two independent setups capable of simultaneously capturing the onset of dissipation in both longitudinal and transverse directions. The real-time correspondence between orthogonal results confirms two facts. 1. Dissipationless charge modes undergo frequent reconstruction in response to electrochemical potential changes, causing dissipationless current paths to expand transversely into the bulk while preserving chirality. A breakdown only occurs when a backscattering emerges between reconfigured dissipationless current paths bridging opposite edge contacts. 2. Impurity screening is vital in enhancing protection, and topological protection is subject to an intriguing interplay of disorder, electron-electron interaction, and topology. The proposed reconstruction mechanism qualitatively explains the robustness variations, beneficial for developing means for optimization.

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arXiv2024

Superballistic flow of viscous electron fluid induced by microwave irradiation in quantum point contact

We measure the resistance oscillation of quantum point contact (QPC) under microwave (MW) radiation. What is different from the common resistance oscillation induced by edge magnetoplasmon (EMP) is that at lower magnetic field (ω>ω_c), photoconductance is positive (negative) with weak (strong) MW radiation. This transport phenomenon is proved to be related to superballistic flow of electrons through QPC. The distinction between the regions ω>ω_c and ω<ω_c is attributed to different absorption rate of MW radiation. Violent absorption occurs when cyclotron orbits or current domains are destroyed in QPC region.

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arXiv2024

Evidence for Topological Protection Derived from Six-Flux Composite Fermions

The composite fermion theory opened a new chapter in understanding many-body correlations through the formation of emergent particles. The formation of two-flux and four-flux composite fermions is well established. While there are limited data linked to the formation of six-flux composite fermions, topological protection associated with them is conspicuously lacking. Here we report evidence for the formation of a quantized and gapped fractional quantum Hall state at the filling factor $ν=9/11$, which we associate with the formation of six-flux composite fermions. Our result provides evidence for the most intricate composite fermion with six fluxes and expands the already diverse family of highly correlated topological phases with a new member that cannot be characterized by correlations present in other known members. Our observations pave the way towards the study of higher order correlations in the fractional quantum Hall regime.

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arXiv2024

Moving crystal phases of a quantum Wigner solid in an ultra-high-quality 2D electron system

In low-disorder, two-dimensional electron systems (2DESs), the fractional quantum Hall states at very small Landau level fillings ($ν$) terminate in a Wigner solid (WS) phase, where electrons arrange themselves in a periodic array. The WS is typically pinned by the residual disorder sites and manifests an insulating behavior, with non-linear current-voltage (\textit{I-V}) and noise characteristics. We report here, measurements on an ultra-low-disorder, dilute 2DES, confined to a GaAs quantum well. In the $ν< 1/5$ range, superimposed on a highly-insulating longitudinal resistance, the 2DES exhibits a developing fractional quantum Hall state at $ν=1/7$, attesting to its exceptional high quality, and dominance of electron-electron interaction in the low filling regime. In the nearby insulating phases, we observe remarkable non-linear \textit{I-V} and noise characteristics as a function of increasing current, with current thresholds delineating three distinct phases of the WS: a pinned phase (P1) with very small noise, a second phase (P2) in which $dV/dI$ fluctuates between positive and negative values and is accompanied by very high noise, and a third phase (P3) where $dV/dI$ is nearly constant and small, and noise is about an order of magnitude lower than in P2. In the depinned (P2 and P3) phases, the noise spectrum also reveals well-defined peaks at frequencies that vary linearly with the applied current, suggestive of washboard frequencies. We discuss the data in light of a recent theory that proposes different dynamic phases for a driven WS.

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arXiv2023

Large composite fermion effective mass at filling factor 5/2

The 5/2 fractional quantum Hall effect in the second Landau level of extremely clean two-dimensional electron gases has attracted much attention due to its topological order predicted to host quasiparticles that obey non-Abelian quantum statistics and could serve as a basis for fault-tolerant quantum computations. While previous works have establish the Fermi liquid (FL) nature of its putative composite fermion (CF) normal phase, little is known regarding its thermodynamics properties and as a result its effective mass is entirely unknown. Here, we report on time-resolved specific heat measurements at filling factor 5/2, and we examine the ratio of specific heat to temperature as a function of temperature. Combining these specific heat data with existing longitudinal thermopower data measuring the entropy in the clean limit we find that, unless a phase transition/crossover gives rise to large specific heat anomaly, both datasets point towards a large effective mass in the FL phase of CFs at 5/2. We estimate the effective-to-bare mass ratio m*/me to be ranging from ~2 to 4, which is two to three times larger than previously measured values in the first Landau level.

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