Search for Multiple Step Integer Quantum Hall Transitions

Abstract

Recent experiments in the integer quantum Hall regime seem to find direct transitions from a quantum Hall state with Hall conductance ${\sigma }_{xy}=n{e}^2/h$ with integer $n>1$, to an insulating state in weak magnetic fields. We study this issue using a variation of the tight-binding lattice model for non-interacting electrons. Although quantum Hall transitions with change in Hall conductance $n{e}^2/h$ with $n>1$ do exist in our model for special tuning of parameters, they generically split into quantum Hall transitions with the Hall conductance changing by $e^2/h$ at each transition. This suggests that a generic multiple step quantum Hall transition is incompatible with a non-interacting electron picture.

4 pages, 4 figures, RevTex

References in corpus (1)

• Levitation of Current Carrying States in the Lattice Model for the Integer Quantum Hall Effect

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