Imaging fractional incompressible stripes in integer quantum Hall systems

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.

References in corpus (3)

• Observation of neutral modes in the fractional quantum Hall regime
• Direct measurements of the fractional quantum Hall effect gaps
• Equilibration between edge states in the fractional quantum Hall effect regime at high imbalances

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• Manipulating quantum Hall edge channels in graphene through Scanning Gate Microscopy
• Wave function description of conductance mapping for quantum Hall electron interferometer