Families of gapped interfaces between fractional quantum Hall states

Julian May-Mann, Taylor L. Hughes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Some interfaces between two different topologically ordered systems can be gapped. In earlier work it was shown that such gapped interfaces can themselves be effective one-dimensional topological systems that possess localized topological modes in open boundary geometries. Here we focus on how this occurs in the context of an interface between two single-component Laughlin states of opposite chirality, with filling fractions ν1=1/p and ν2=1/pn2. While one type of interface in such systems was previously studied, we show that allowing for edge reconstruction effects opens up a wide variety of possible gapped interfaces depending on the number of divisors of n. We apply a complementary description of the ν2=1/pn2 system in terms of Laughlin states coupled to a discrete gauge Zn field. This enables us to identify possible interfaces to the ν1 system based on complete or partial confinement of this gauge field. We determine the tunneling properties, the ground-state degeneracy, and the nature of the non-Abelian zero modes of each interface in order to physically distinguish them.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number155134
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume99
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 19 2019

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Families of gapped interfaces between fractional quantum Hall states'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this