A colorful approach to the fractional quantum Hall effect
by
Nicolas Regnault(ENS Paris)
→
Europe/Stockholm
FA31
FA31
Description
The different types of fractional quantum Hall effect may be
described in terms of multi-color quantum liquids. This is the result of a
trial wave function approach which yields a complementary vision of the
fractional quantum Hall effect. Indeed, each color group of two-dimensional
particles in a strong magnetic field forms a Laughlin liquid. However, in a
typical system, there is only one type of particles, say gray, and the colors
need to be viewed as an artificial marking.
In order to get rid of these artificial colors, we have proposed a procedure
which renders all particles gray again. This may be viewed as taking a
black-and-white photo of a colorful painting. Amazingly, the black-and-white
photo reveals an internal structure of the quantum liquid - it consists of
distinct droplets the number of particles of which is that of the original
colors. The performed numerical calculations indicate that this structure may
be a common feature of the different types of fractional quantum Hall states,
such as the composite-fermion states or else the 5/2 state with its exotic
excitations.