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Local charge of the ν = 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state

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Listed:
  • Vivek Venkatachalam

    (Harvard University, 11 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Amir Yacoby

    (Harvard University, 11 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Loren Pfeiffer

    (Princeton University)

  • Ken West

    (Princeton University)

Abstract

Quasiparticles in the fractional quantum Hall effect Electrons confined to two dimensions and held under strong magnetic fields display exotic correlated behaviour — a phenomenon known as the fractional quantum Hall effect. When the ratio of electrons to magnetic flux quanta in the system is near 5/2, a phase emerges that is predicted to harbour quasiparticles with a unique, topologically protected quantum property. Called 'non-Abelian braiding statistics', this property holds great technological promise because, in principle, it enables decoherence-free quantum computation. However, there is no conclusive evidence yet that such quasiparticles exist. A defining feature of these non-Abelian quasiparticles is that their charge value is a quarter that of an electron. Venkatachalam et al. now measure 'puddles' of charge in a fractional quantum Hall device and find new evidence for the existence of quarter-charge particles, thereby boosting confidence in the prospects for topological quantum computation.

Suggested Citation

  • Vivek Venkatachalam & Amir Yacoby & Loren Pfeiffer & Ken West, 2011. "Local charge of the ν = 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state," Nature, Nature, vol. 469(7329), pages 185-188, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:469:y:2011:i:7329:d:10.1038_nature09680
    DOI: 10.1038/nature09680
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