Observation of anyonic statistics through quantum Hall interferometry*

Fractional quantum Hall states have been predicted to have quasiparticle excitations which obey anyonic braiding statistics. Interferometry has been proposed as an experimental method to probe these exotic statistics. We present measurements of interference at the ν = 1/3 fractional quantum Hall state. We observe discrete jumps in phase which are consistent with the anyonic phase contribution when the number of localized quasiparticles changes. We also observe a transition in interference behavior when the magnetic field is varied away from the center of the state, which is consistent with a recent theoretical analysis predicting a shift from simple Aharonov-Bohm interference to regimes in which quasiparticles are created with period Φ₀.