Imaging fractional incompressible stripes in integer quantum hall systems

Nicola Paradiso, Stefan Heun, Stefano Roddaro, Lucia Sorba, Fabio Beltram, Giorgio Biasiol, L. N. Pfeiffer, K. W. West

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transport experiments provide conflicting evidence on the possible existence of fractional order within integer quantum Hall systems. In fact, integer edge states sometimes behave as monolithic objects with no inner structure, while other experiments clearly highlight the role of fractional substructures. Recently developed low-temperature scanning probe techniques offer today an opportunity for a deeper-than-ever investigation of spatial features of such edge systems. Here we use scanning-gate microscopy and demonstrate that fractional features were unambiguously observed in every integer quantum Hall constriction studied. We present also an experimental estimate of the width of the fractional incompressible stripes corresponding to filling factors 1/3, 2/5, 3/5, and 2/3. Our results compare well with predictions of the edge-reconstruction theory.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number246801
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume108
Issue number24
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 13 2012
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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