arXiv subjects

Thierry Jolicoeur

Publications and source records attributed to Thierry Jolicoeur.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Entropic selection of magnetization in a frustrated 2D magnetic model

We discuss the magnetic ground state and properties of a frustrated two-dimensional classical Heisenberg model of interacting hexagonal clusters of spins. The energy of the ground states is found exactly for arbitrary values of $J_1$ (intra-cluster couplings) and $J_2$ (inter-cluster couplings). Our main results concern a frustrated region of the phase diagram, where we show that the set of ground states has a degeneracy larger than that due to global rotation symmetry. Furthermore, the ground state manifold does not have a fixed total magnetization~: there is a range of allowed values. At finite temperature, our Monte-Carlo simulations show that the entropy selects the most probable value of the total magnetization, while the histogram of the Monte-Carlo time series is non-trivial. This model is a first step towards modelling properties of a class of frustrated magnetic structures composed of coupled spin clusters.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Interlayer phase coherence and composite fermions

The fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) realized in two-dimensional electron systems is explained by the emergent composite fermions (CF) out of ordinary electrons. It is possible to write down explicit wavefunctions explaining many if not all FQHE states. In bilayer systems there is a regime at integer filling of the lowest Landau level that displays a spontaneous breakdown of the U(1) relative phase between the two layers. This can be seen as interlayer phase coherence (ILC) in terms of electrons. Recent experiments in double layer samples of graphene have revealed the appearance of many FQHE states unique to the bilayer case. We discuss extensions of the CF idea in this situation as well as the possible existence of ILC of CFs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Competing Laughlin state and Wigner crystal in bilayer graphene

We study the fractional quantum Hall effect in the central Landau level of bilayer graphene. By tuning the external applied magnetic field and the electric bias between the two layers one can access a regime where there is a degeneracy between Landau levels with orbital characters corresponding to N=0 and N=1 Galilean Landau levels. While the Laughlin state is generically the ground state for filling $ν=1/3$ we find that it can be destroyed and replaced by a Wigner crystal at the same filling factor by tuning the bias and applied field. This competition does not take place at $ν=2/3$ where the incompressible ground state remains stable. The possibility of electrically inducing the Wigner crystal state opens a new range of studies of this state of matter.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Spin and valley ordering of fractional quantum Hall states in monolayer graphene

We study spin and valley ordering in the quantum Hall fractions in monolayer graphene at Landau level filling factors $ν_G=-2+n/3$ $(n=2,4,5)$. We use exact diagonalizations on the spherical as well as toroidal geometry by taking into account the effect of realistic anisotropies that break the spin/valley symmetry of the pure Coulomb interaction. We also use a variational method based on eigenstates of the fully $SU(4)$ symmetric limit. For all the fractions we study there are two-component states for which the competing phases are generalizations of those occurring at neutrality $ν_G=0$. They are ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, charge-density wave and Kékulé phases, depending on the values of Ising or XY anisotropies in valley space. The varying spin-valley content of the states leads to ground state quantum numbers that are different from the $ν_G=0$ case. For filling factor $ν_G=-2+5/3$ there is a parent state in the $SU(4)$ limit which has a flavor content $(1,1/3,1/3,0)$ where the two components that are one-third filled form a two-component singlet. The addition of anisotropies leads to the formation of new states that have no counterpart at $ν_G=0$. While some of them are predicted by the variational approach, we find notably that negative Ising-like valley anisotropy leads to the formation of a state which is a singlet in both spin and valley space and lies beyond the reach of the variational method. Also fully spin polarized two-component states at $ν=-2+4/3$ and $ν=-2+5/3$ display an emergent $SU(2)$ valley symmetry because they do not feel point-contact anisotropies. We discuss implications for current experiments concerning possible spin transitions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Bubble phase at $ν=1/3$ for a spinless hollow-core interaction

We investigate fractional quantum Hall states for model interactions restricted to a repulsive hard-core. When the hard-core excludes relative angular momentum $m=1$ between spinless electrons the ground state at Landau level filling factor $ν=1/3$ is known to be exactly given by the Laughlin wavefunction. When we exclude relative angular momentum three only, Wòjs, Quinn and Yi have suggested the appearance of a liquid state with non-Laughlin correlations. We study this special hard-core interaction at filling factor 1/3 on the sphere, torus and cylinder geometry. An analysis of the charged and neutral gaps on the sphere geometry points to a gapless state. On the torus geometry the projected static structure factor has a two-peak feature pointing to one-dimensional density ordering. To clarify the nature of the ground state we perform extended DMRG studies on the cylinder geometry for up to 30 particles. The pair correlation function allows us to conclude that the ground state is a two-particle bubble phase.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Unconventional $\mathbb{Z}_{n}$ parton states at $ν= 7/3$: The role of finite width

A recent work [Balram, Jain, and Barkeshli, Phys. Rev. Res. ${\bf 2}$, 013349 (2020)] has suggested that an unconventional state describing $\mathbb{Z}_{n}$ superconductivity of composite bosons, which supports excitations with charge $1/(3n)$ of the electron charge, is energetically better than the Laughlin wave function at $ν=7/3$ in GaAs systems. All experiments to date, however, are consistent with the latter. To address this discrepancy, we study the effect of finite width on the ground state and predict a phase transition from an unconventional $\mathbb{Z}_{n}$ state at small widths to the Laughlin state for widths exceeding $\sim$ 1.5 magnetic lengths. We also determine the parameter region where an unconventional state is stabilized in the one third filled zeroth Landau level in bilayer graphene. The roles of Landau level mixing and spin are also considered.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Interplay between fractional quantum Hall liquid and crystal phases at low filling

The nature of the state at low Landau-level filling factors has been a longstanding puzzle in the field of the fractional quantum Hall effect. While theoretical calculations suggest that a crystal is favored at filling factors $ν\lesssim 1/6$, experiments show, at somewhat elevated temperatures, minima in the longitudinal resistance that are associated with fractional quantum Hall effect at $ν=$ 1/7, 2/11, 2/13, 3/17, 3/19, 1/9, 2/15 and 2/17, which belong to the standard sequences $ν=n/(6n\pm 1)$ and $ν=n/(8n\pm 1)$. To address this paradox, we investigate the nature of some of the low-$ν$ states, specifically $ν=1/7$, $2/13$, and $1/9$, by variational Monte Carlo, density matrix renormalization group, and exact diagonalization methods. We conclude that in the thermodynamic limit, these are likely to be incompressible fractional quantum Hall liquids, albeit with strong short-range crystalline correlations. This suggests a natural explanation for the experimentally observed behavior and a rich phase diagram that admits, in the low-disorder limit, a multitude of crystal-FQHE liquid transitions as the filling factor is reduced.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Quantum Hall Skyrmions at $ν=0,\pm 1$ in monolayer graphene

Monolayer graphene under a strong perpendicular field exhibit quantum Hall ferromagnetism with spontaneously broken spin and valley symmetry. The approximate SU(4) spin/valley symmetry is broken by small lattice scale effects in the central Landau level corresponding to filling factors $ν=0,\pm 1$. Notably the ground state at $ν=0$ is believed to be a canted antiferromagnetic (AF) or a ferromagnetic (F) state depending on the component of the magnetic field parallel to the layer and the strength of small anisotropies. We study the skyrmions for the filling factors $ν=\pm 1,0$ by using exact diagonalizations on the spherical geometry. If we neglect anisotropies we confirm the validity of the standard skyrmion picture generalized to four degrees of freedom. For filling factor $ν=- 1$ the hole skyrmion is an infinite-size valley skyrmion with full spin polarization because it does not feel the anisotropies. The electron skyrmion is also always of infinite size. In the F phase it is always fully polarized while in the AF phase it undergoes continuous magnetization under increasing Zeeman energy. In the case of $ν=0$ the skyrmion is always maximally localized in space both in F and AF phase. In the F phase it is fully polarized while in the AF it has also progressive magnetization with Zeeman energy. The magnetization process is unrelated to the spatial profile of the skyrmions contrary to the SU(2) case. In all cases the skyrmion physics is dominated by the competition between anisotropies and Zeeman effect but not directly by the Coulomb interactions, breaking universal scaling with the ratio Zeeman to Coulomb energy.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Physics of integer spin antiferromagnetic chains : Haldane gaps and edge states

The antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain with integer spin has short-range magnetic order and an excitation energy gap above the ground state. This so-called Haldane gap is proportional to the exchange coupling $J$ of the Heisenberg chain. We discuss recent results about the spin dependence of the Haldane gap and conjecture an analytical formula valid asymptotically for large spin values. We next study the robustness of the edge states of the spin one chain by studying by the DMRG algorithm a spin one ladder. We show that the peculiar hidden topological order of the spin one chain disappears smoothly by increasing the ladder rung coupling without any intervening phase transition. This is evidence for the fragile character of the topological order of the spin one chain.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Quantum Hall ferroelectric helix in bilayer graphene

We re-examine the nature of the ground states of bilayer graphene at odd integer filling factors within a simplified model of nearly degenerate $n=0$ and $n=1$ Landau levels. Previous Hartree-Fock studies have found that ferroelectric states with orbital coherence can be stabilized by tuning the orbital splitting between these levels. These studies indicated that, in addition to a uniform ferroelectric state, a helical ferroelectric phase with spontaneously broken translational symmetry is possible. By performing exact diagonalization on the torus, we argue that the system does not have a uniform coherent state but instead transitions directly from the uniform incoherent state into the ferroelectric helical phase. We argue that there is a realistic prospect to stabilize the helical ferroelectric state in bilayer graphene by tuning the interlayer electric field in a model that includes all single particle corrections to its zero energy eight-fold multiplet of Landau levels.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Towards quantum simulation with circular Rydberg atoms

The main objective of quantum simulation is an in-depth understanding of many-body physics. It is important for fundamental issues (quantum phase transitions, transport, . . . ) and for the development of innovative materials. Analytic approaches to many-body systems are limited and the huge size of their Hilbert space makes numerical simulations on classical computers intractable. A quantum simulator avoids these limitations by transcribing the system of interest into another, with the same dynamics but with interaction parameters under control and with experimental access to all relevant observables. Quantum simulation of spin systems is being explored with trapped ions, neutral atoms and superconducting devices. We propose here a new paradigm for quantum simulation of spin-1/2 arrays providing unprecedented flexibility and allowing one to explore domains beyond the reach of other platforms. It is based on laser-trapped circular Rydberg atoms. Their long intrinsic lifetimes combined with the inhibition of their microwave spontaneous emission and their low sensitivity to collisions and photoionization make trapping lifetimes in the minute range realistic with state-of-the-art techniques. Ultra-cold defect-free circular atom chains can be prepared by a variant of the evaporative cooling method. This method also leads to the individual detection of arbitrary spin observables. The proposed simulator realizes an XXZ spin-1/2 Hamiltonian with nearest-neighbor couplings ranging from a few to tens of kHz. All the model parameters can be tuned at will, making a large range of simulations accessible. The system evolution can be followed over times in the range of seconds, long enough to be relevant for ground-state adiabatic preparation and for the study of thermalization, disorder or Floquet time crystals. This platform presents unrivaled features for quantum simulation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Shape of the magnetoroton at $ν=1/3$ and $ν=7/3$ in real samples

We revisit the theory of the collective neutral excitation mode in the fractional quantum Hall effect at Landau level filling fractions $ν=1/3$ and $ν=7/3$. We include the effect of finite thickness of the two-dimensional electron gas and use extensive exact diagonalizations in the torus geometry. In the lowest Landau level the collective gapped mode i.e. the magnetoroton always merges in the continuum in the long-wavelength limit. In the second Landau level the mode is well-defined only for wavevectors smaller than a critical value and disappears in the continuum beyond this point. Its curvature near zero momentum is opposite to that of the LLL. It is well separated from the continuum even at zero momentum and the gap of the continuum of higher-lying states is twice the collective mode gap at $k=0$. The shape of the dispersion relation survives a perturbative treatment of Landau level mixing.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Phase diagram of a graphene bilayer in the zero-energy Landau level

Bilayer graphene under a magnetic field has an octet of quasidegenerate levels due to spin, valley, and orbital degeneracies. This zero-energy Landau level is resolved into several incompressible states whose nature is still elusive. We use a Hartree-Fock treatment of a realistic tight-binding four-band model to understand the quantum ferromagnetism phenomena expected for integer fillings of the octet levels. We include the exchange interaction with filled Landau levels below the octet states. This Lamb-shift-like effect contributes to the orbital splitting of the octet. We give phase diagrams as a function of applied bias and magnetic field. Some of our findings are in agreement with experiments. We discuss the possible appearance of phases with orbital coherence.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Edge structure of graphene monolayers in the ν = 0 quantum Hall state

Monolayer graphene at neutrality in the quantum Hall regime has many competing ground states with various types of ordering. The outcome of this competition is modified by the presence of the sample boundaries. In this paper we use a Hartree-Fock treatment of the electronic correlations allowing for space-dependent ordering. The edge influence is modeled by a simple perturbative effective magnetic field in valley space. We find that all phases found in the bulk of the sample, ferromagnetic, canted antiferromagnetic, charge-density wave and Kekul$é$ distortion are smoothly connected to a Kekul$é$-distorted edge. The single-particle excitations are computed taking into account the spatial variation of the order parameters. An eventual metal-insulator transition as a function of the Zeeman energy is not simply related to the type of bulk order.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

SU(3) and SU(4) singlet quantum Hall states at $ν=2/3$

We report on an exact diagonalization study of fractional quantum Hall states at filling factor $ν=2/3$ in a system with a four-fold degenerate $n$=0 Landau level and SU(4) symmetric Coulomb interactions. Our investigation reveals previously unidentified SU(3) and SU(4) singlet ground states which appear at flux quantum shift 2 when a spherical geometry is employed, and lie outside the established composite-fermion or multicomponent Halperin state patterns. We evaluate the two-particle correlation functions of these states, and discuss quantum phase transitions in graphene between singlet states with different number of components as magnetic field strength is increased.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

SO(5) symmetry in the quantum Hall effect in graphene

Electrons in graphene have four flavors associated with low-energy spin and valley degrees of freedom. The fractional quantum Hall effect in graphene is dominated by long-range Coulomb interactions which are invariant under rotations in spin-valley space. This SU(4) symmetry is spontaneously broken at most filling factors, and also weakly broken by atomic scale valley-dependent and valley-exchange interactions with coupling constants $g_{z}$ and $g_{\perp}$. In this paper we demonstrate that when $g_{z}=-g_{\perp}$ an exact SO(5) symmetry survives which unifies the Néel spin order parameter of the antiferromagnetic state and the $XY$ valley order parameter of the Kekulé distortion state into a single five-component order parameter. The proximity of the highly insulating quantum Hall state observed in graphene at $ν=0$ to an ideal SO(5) symmetric quantum Hall state remains an open experimental question. We illustrate the physics associated with this SO(5) symmetry by studying the multiplet structure and collective dynamics of filling factor $ν=0$ quantum Hall states based on exact-diagonalization and low-energy effective theory approaches. This allows to illustrate how manifestations of the SO(5) symmetry would survive even when it is weakly broken.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

The Phase Diagram of the $ν=5/2$ Fractional Quantum Hall Effect: Effects of Landau Level Mixing and Non-Zero Width

Interesting non-Abelian states, e.g., the Moore-Read Pfaffian and the anti-Pfaffian, offer candidate descriptions of the $ν= 5/2$ fractional quantum Hall state. But the significant controversy surrounding the nature of the $ν= 5/2$ state has been hampered by the fact that the competition between these and other states is affected by small parameter changes. To study the phase diagram of the $ν= 5/2$ state we numerically diagonalize a comprehensive effective Hamiltonian describing the fractional quantum Hall effect of electrons under realistic conditions in GaAs semiconductors. The effective Hamiltonian takes Landau level mixing into account to lowest-order perturbatively in $κ$, the ratio of the Coulomb energy scale to the cyclotron gap. We also incorporate non-zero width $w$ of the quantum well and sub-band mixing. We find the ground state in both the torus and spherical geometries as a function of $κ$ and $w$. To sort out the non-trivial competition between candidate ground states we analyze the following 4 criteria: its overlap with trial wave functions; the magnitude of energy gaps; the sign of the expectation value of an order parameter for particle-hole symmetry breaking; and the entanglement spectrum. We conclude that the ground state is in the universality class of the Moore-Read Pfaffian state, rather than the anti-Pfaffian, for $κ< {κ_c}(w)$, where ${κ_c}(w)$ is a $w$-dependent critical value $0.6 \lesssim{κ_c}(w)\lesssim 1$. We observe that both Landau level mixing and non-zero width suppress the excitation gap, but Landau level mixing has a larger effect in this regard. Our findings have important implications for the identification of non-Abelian fractional quantum Hall states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Gaplessness of the Gaffnian

We study the Gaffnian trial wavefunction proposed to describe fractional quantum Hall correlations at Bose filling factor $ν=2/3$ and Fermi filling $ν=2/5$. A family of Hamiltonians interpolating between a hard-core interaction for which the physics is known and a projector whose ground state is the Gaffnian is studied in detail. We give evidence for the absence of a gap by using large-scale exact diagonalizations in the spherical geometry. This is in agreement with recent arguments based on the fact that this wavefunction is constructed from a non-unitary conformal field theory. By using the cylinder geometry, we discuss in detail the nature of the underlying minimal model and we show the appearance of heterotic conformal towers in the edge energy spectrum where left and right movers are generated by distinct primary operators.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗