Observation of reentrant integer quantum Hall states in the lowest Landau level

Evidence for Topological Protection Derived from Six-Flux Composite Fermions

The composite fermion theory opened a new chapter in understanding many-body correlations through the formation of emergent particles. The formation of two-flux and four-flux composite fermions is well established. While there are limited data linked to the formation of six-flux composite fermions, topological protection associated with them is conspicuously lacking. Here we report evidence for the formation of a quantized and gapped fractional quantum Hall state at the filling factor ν = 9/11, which we associate with the formation of six-flux composite fermions. Our result provides evidence for the most intricate composite fermion with six fluxes and expands the already diverse family of highly correlated topological phases with a new member that cannot be characterized by correlations present in other known members. Our observations pave the way towards the study of higher order correlations in the fractional quantum Hall regime.

Competing Fractional Quantum Hall and Electron Solid Phases in Graphene

We report experimental observation of the reentrant integer quantum Hall effect in graphene, appearing in the N=2 Landau level. Similar to high-mobility GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures, the effect is due to a competition between incompressible fractional quantum Hall states, and electron solid phases. The tunability of graphene allows us to measure the B-T phase diagram of the electron solid phase. The hierarchy of reentrant states suggests spin and valley degrees of freedom play a role in determining the ground state energy. We find that the melting temperature scales with magnetic field, and construct a phase diagram of the electron liquid-solid transition.

Fractional quantum Hall effect and Wigner crystal of interacting composite fermions

In two-dimensional electron systems confined to GaAs quantum wells, as a function of either tilting the sample in a magnetic field or increasing density, we observe multiple spin-polarization transitions of the fractional quantum Hall states at filling factors ν=4/5 and 5/7. The number of observed transitions provides evidence that these are fractional quantum Hall states of interacting two-flux composite fermions. Moreover, the fact that the reentrant integer quantum Hall effect near ν=4/5 always develops following the transition to full spin polarization of the ν=4/5 fractional quantum Hall state links the reentrant phase to a pinned ferromagnetic Wigner crystal of composite fermions.

Tunable Charge and Spin Order in PrNiO_{3} Thin Films and Superlattices

We use polarized Raman scattering to probe lattice vibrations and charge ordering in 12 nm thick, epitaxially strained PrNiO_{3} films, and in superlattices of PrNiO_{3} with the band insulator PrAlO_{3}. A carefully adjusted confocal geometry is used to eliminate the substrate contribution to the Raman spectra. In films and superlattices under tensile strain which undergo a metal-insulator transition upon cooling, the Raman spectra reveal phonon modes characteristic of charge ordering. These anomalous phonons do not appear in compressively strained films, which remain metallic at all temperatures. For superlattices under compressive strain, the Raman spectra show no evidence of anomalous phonons indicative of charge ordering, while complementary resonant x-ray scattering experiments reveal antiferromagnetic order associated with a modest increase in resistivity upon cooling. This confirms theoretical predictions of a spin density wave phase driven by spatial confinement of the conduction electrons.

Microwave spectroscopic observation of distinct electron solid phases in wide quantum wells

In high magnetic fields, two-dimensional electron systems can form a number of phases in which interelectron repulsion plays the central role, since the kinetic energy is frozen out by Landau quantization. These phases include the well-known liquids of the fractional quantum Hall effect, as well as solid phases with broken spatial symmetry and crystalline order. Solids can occur at the low Landau-filling termination of the fractional quantum Hall effect series but also within integer quantum Hall effects. Here we present microwave spectroscopy studies of wide quantum wells that clearly reveal two distinct solid phases, hidden within what in d.c. transport would be the zero diagonal conductivity of an integer quantum-Hall-effect state. Explanation of these solids is not possible with the simple picture of a Wigner solid of ordinary (quasi) electrons or holes.