252 research outputs found
Robust local and non-local transport in the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB in the presence of high magnetic field
SmB has been predicted to be a Kondo Topological Insulator with
topologically protected conducting surface states. We have studied
quantitatively the electrical transport through surface states in high quality
single crystals of SmB. We observe a large non-local surface signal at
temperatures lower than the bulk Kondo gap scale. Measurements and finite
element simulations allow us to distinguish unambiguously between the
contributions from different transport channels. In contrast to general
expectations, the electrical transport properties of the surface channels was
found to be insensitive to high magnetic fields. Local and non-local
magnetoresistance measurements allowed us to identify definite signatures of
helical spin states and strong inter-band scattering at the surface.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl
Quantum phase transition in few-layer NbSe probed through quantized conductance fluctuations
We present the first observation of dynamically modulated quantum phase
transition (QPT) between two distinct charge density wave (CDW) phases in
2-dimensional 2H-NbSe. There is recent spectroscopic evidence for the
presence of these two quantum phases, but its evidence in bulk measurements
remained elusive. We studied suspended, ultra-thin \nbse devices fabricated on
piezoelectric substrates - with tunable flakes thickness, disorder level and
strain. We find a surprising evolution of the conductance fluctuation spectra
across the CDW temperature: the conductance fluctuates between two precise
values, separated by a quantum of conductance. These quantized fluctuations
disappear for disordered and on-substrate devices. With the help of mean-field
calculations, these observations can be explained as to arise from dynamical
phase transition between the two CDW states. To affirm this idea, we vary the
lateral strain across the device via piezoelectric medium and map out the phase
diagram near the quantum critical point (QCP). The results resolve a
long-standing mystery of the anomalously large spectroscopic gap in NbSe
Local Charge of the nu=5/2 Fractional Quantum Hall State
Electrons in two dimensions and strong magnetic fields effectively lose their
kinetic energy and display exotic behavior dominated by Coulomb forces. When
the ratio of electrons to magnetic flux quanta in the system is near 5/2, the
unique correlated phase that emerges is predicted to be gapped with
fractionally charged quasiparticles and a ground state degeneracy that grows
exponentially as these quasiparticles are introduced. Interestingly, the only
way to transform between the many ground states would be to braid the
fractional excitations around each other, a property with applications in
quantum information processing. Here we present the first observation of
localized quasiparticles at nu=5/2, confined to puddles by disorder. Using a
local electrometer to compare how quasiparticles at nu=5/2 and nu=7/3 charge
these puddles, we are able to extract the ratio of local charges for these
states. Averaged over several disorder configurations and samples, we find the
ratio to be 4/3, suggesting that the local charges are e/3 at seven thirds and
e/4 at five halves, in agreement with theoretical predictions. This
confirmation of localized e/4 quasiparticles is necessary for proposed
interferometry experiments to test statistics and computational ability of the
state at nu=5/2.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures corrected titl
Tuning the Correlation Decay in the Resistance Fluctuations of Multi-Species Networks
A new network model is proposed to describe the resistance noise
in disordered materials for a wide range of values ().
More precisely, we have considered the resistance fluctuations of a thin
resistor with granular structure in different stationary states: from nearly
equilibrium up to far from equilibrium conditions. This system has been
modelled as a network made by different species of resistors, distinguished by
their resistances, temperature coefficients and by the energies associated with
thermally activated processes of breaking and recovery. The correlation
behavior of the resistance fluctuations is analyzed as a function of the
temperature and applied current, in both the frequency and time domains. For
the noise frequency exponent, the model provides at low
currents, in the Ohmic regime, with decreasing inversely with the
temperature, and at high currents, in the non-Ohmic regime.
Since the threshold current associated with the onset of nonlinearity also
depends on the temperature, the proposed model qualitatively accounts for the
complicate behavior of versus temperature and current observed in many
experiments. Correspondingly, in the time domain, the auto-correlation function
of the resistance fluctuations displays a variety of behaviors which are tuned
by the external conditions.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figures, Submitted to JSTAT - Special issue SigmaPhi200
Local Thermometry of Neutral Modes on the Quantum Hall Edge
A system of electrons in two dimensions and strong magnetic fields can be
tuned to create a gapped 2D system with one dimensional channels along the
edge. Interactions among these edge modes can lead to independent transport of
charge and heat, even in opposite directions. Measuring the chirality and
transport properties of these charge and heat modes can reveal otherwise hidden
structure in the edge. Here, we heat the outer edge of such a quantum Hall
system using a quantum point contact. By placing quantum dots upstream and
downstream along the edge of the heater, we can measure both the chemical
potential and temperature of that edge to study charge and heat transport,
respectively. We find that charge is transported exclusively downstream, but
heat can be transported upstream when the edge has additional structure related
to fractional quantum Hall physics.Comment: 24 pages, 18 figure
Analysis of Shot Noise at Finite Temperatures in Fractional Quantum Hall Edge States
We investigate shot noise at {\it finite temperatures} induced by the
quasi-particle tunneling between fractional quantum Hall (FQH) edge states. The
resulting Fano factor has the peak structure at a certain bias voltage. Such a
structure indicates that quasi-particles are weakly {\it glued} due to thermal
fluctuation. We show that the effect makes it possible to probe the difference
of statistics between FQH states where quasi-particles have the
same unit charge.Finally we propose a way to indirectly obtain statistical
angle in hierarchical FQH states.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Quasi-Particle Tunneling in Anti-Pfaffian Quantum Hall State
We study tunneling phenomena at the edge of the anti-Pfaffian quantum Hall
state at the filling factor . The edge current in a single
point-contact is considered. We focus on nonlinear behavior of two-terminal
conductance with the increase in negative split-gate voltage. Expecting the
appearance of the intermediate conductance plateau we calculate the value of
its conductance by using the renormalization group (RG) analysis. Further, we
show that non-perturbative quasi-particle tunneling is effectively described as
perturbative electron tunneling by the instanton method. The two-terminals
conductance is written as a function of the gate voltage. The obtained results
enable us to distinguish the anti-Pfaffian state from the Pfaffian state
experimentally.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Universal Signatures of Fractionalized Quantum Critical Points
Groundstates of certain materials can support exotic excitations with a
charge that's a fraction of the fundamental electron charge. The condensation
of these fractionalized particles has been predicted to drive novel quantum
phase transitions, which haven't yet been observed in realistic systems.
Through numerical and theoretical analysis of a physical model of interacting
lattice bosons, we establish the existence of such an exotic critical point,
called XY*. We measure a highly non-classical critical exponent eta = 1.49(2),
and construct a universal scaling function of winding number distributions that
directly demonstrates the distinct topological sectors of an emergent Z_2 gauge
field. The universal quantities used to establish this exotic transition can be
used to detect other fractionalized quantum critical points in future model and
material systems.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures (+ supplemental
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