Mobility gap in fractional quantum Hall liquids: Effects of disorder and layer thickness

Xin Wan, D. N. Sheng, E. H. Rezayi, Kun Yang, R. N. Bhatt, F. D.M. Haldane

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

We study the behavior of two-dimensional electron gas in the fractional quantum Hall regime in the presence of finite layer thickness and correlated disordered potential. Generalizing the Chern number calculation to many-body systems, we determine the mobility gaps of fractional quantum Hall states based on the distribution of Chern numbers in a microscopic model. We find excellent agreement between experimentally measured activation gaps and our calculated mobility gaps, when combining the effects of both disordered potential and layer thickness. We clarify the difference between mobility gap and spectral gap of fractional quantum Hall states and explain the disorder-driven collapse of the gap and the subsequent transitions from the fractional quantum Hall states to the insulator.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number075325
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume72
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 15 2005

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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