Session J11: Fractional Quantum Hall Effect I

11:15 AM–2:03 PM, Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Room: D222

Chair: Nikolai Zhitenev, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Abstract ID: BAPS.2011.MAR.J11.14

Abstract: J11.00014 : The Weakly Coupled Pfaffian as a Type I Quantum Hall Liquid

1:51 PM–2:03 PM

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Authors:

S.A. Parameswaran
(Princeton University)

S.A. Kivelson
(Stanford University)

S.L. Sondhi
(Princeton University)

B.Z. Spivak
(University of Washington)

The Pfaffian phase of electrons in the proximity of a half-filled Landau level is understood to be a $p+ip$ superconductor of composite fermions. We consider the properties of this paired quantum Hall phase when the pairing scale is small, {\it i.e.} in the weak-coupling, BCS, limit, where the coherence length is much larger than the charge screening length. We find that, as in a Type I superconductor, the vortices attract so that, upon varying the magnetic field from its magic value at $\nu=5/2$, the system exhibits Coulomb frustrated phase separation. We propose that the weakly and strongly coupled Pfaffian states exemplify a general dichotomy between Type I and Type II quantum Hall fluids.

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2011.MAR.J11.14