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Competition between quantum-liquid and electron-solid phases in intermediate Landau levels

M. O. Goerbig·P. Lederer·C. Morais Smith
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Abstract

On the basis of energy calculations we investigate the competition between quantum-liquid and electron-solid phases in the Landau levels n=1,2, and 3 as a function of their partial filling factor. Whereas the quantum-liquid phases are stable only in the vicinity of quantized values 1/(2s+1) of the partial filling factor, an electron solid in the form of a triangular lattice of clusters with a few number of electrons (bubble phase) is energetically favorable between these fillings. This alternation of electron-solid phases, which are insulating because they are pinned by the residual impurities in the sample, and quantum liquids displaying the fractional quantum Hall effect explains a recently observed reentrance of the integral quantum Hall effect in the Landau levels n=1 and 2. Around half-filling of the last Landau level, a uni-directional charge density wave (stripe phase) has a lower energy than the bubble phase.

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M. O. Goerbig, P. Lederer, C. Morais Smith. 2003-12-17. Competition between quantum-liquid and electron-solid phases in intermediate Landau levels. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.69.115327

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