Charge density waves and their transitions in anisotropic quantum Hall systems

Communications Physics, vol. 4

Abstract

Abstract In recent experiments, external anisotropy has been a useful tool to tune different phases and study their competitions. In this paper, we look at the quantum Hall charge density wave states in the N = 2 Landau level. Without anisotropy, there are two first-order phase transitions between the Wigner crystal, the 2-electron bubble phase, and the stripe phase. By adding mass anisotropy, our analytical and numerical studies show that the 2-electron bubble phase disappears and the stripe phase significantly enlarges its domain in the phase diagram. Meanwhile, a regime of stripe crystals that may be observed experimentally is unveiled after the bubble phase gets out. Upon increase of the anisotropy, the energy of the phases at the transitions becomes progressively smooth as a function of the filling. We conclude that all first-order phase transitions are replaced by continuous phase transitions, providing a possible realisation of continuous quantum crystalline phase transitions.

Authors 4

1. Yuchi He corresponding Aachen Institut für Theorie der Statistischen Physik

   RWTH Aachen University · Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh Quantum Institute

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

   Institut für Theorie der Statistischen Physik, RWTH Aachen University and JARA-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Aachen, Germany

   Pittsburgh Quantum Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

   CMU - Carnegie Mellon University [Pittsburgh] (5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 - United States)

   Pittsburgh Quantum Institute (B4 Thaw Hall, 4061 O'Hara St. Pittsburgh PA 15260 - United States)

   RWTH - Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University (RWTH Aachen Templergraben 55 52062 Aachen (Hausanschrift) 52056 Aachen (Postanschrift) - Germany)

2. Kang Yang corresponding

   Université Paris-Sud · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Paris-Saclay · Sorbonne Université · Stockholm University · AlbaNova · Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies · Laboratoire de physique des Solides

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm, Sweden

   Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies, CNRS UMR 7589, Sorbonne Université, Paris Cedex 05, France

   Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay Cedex, France

   LPS - Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (Bat. 510 91405 Orsay cedex - France)

   LPTHE - Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies (Boîte 126, T13-14 4ème étage 4 place Jussieu 75252 Paris CEDEX 05 - France)

   Stockholm University (SE-106 91 Stockholm - Sweden)

3. Mark O. Goerbig

   Université Paris-Sud · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Paris-Saclay · Laboratoire de physique des Solides

   Affiliation as printed

   Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, CNRS UMR 8502, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay Cedex, France

   LPS - Laboratoire de Physique des Solides (Bat. 510 91405 Orsay cedex - France)

4. Roger S. K. Mong

   University of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh Quantum Institute

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

   Pittsburgh Quantum Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

   PITT - University of Pittsburgh (4200 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15260 - United States)

   Pittsburgh Quantum Institute (B4 Thaw Hall, 4061 O'Hara St. Pittsburgh PA 15260 - United States)