We compute energy gaps for spin-polarized fractional quantum Hall states in the lowest Landau level (LL) at filling fractions $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{1}{3},$
52, 73, and
94 using exact diagonalization of systems with up to 16 particles and extrapolation to the infinite system-size limit. The gaps calculated for a pure Coulomb interaction and ignoring finite width effects, disorder and LL mixing agree well with the predictions of composite fermion theory provided the logarithmic corrections to the effective mass are included. This is in contrast with previous estimates, which, as we show, overestimated the gaps at $\ensuremath{\nu}=2/5$ and 3/7 by around 15%. We also study the reduction of the gaps as a result of the nonzero width of the two-dimensional (2D) layer. We show that these effects are accurately accounted for using either Gaussian or ``$z\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ Gaussian''
(zG) trial wave functions, which we show are significantly better variational wave functions than the Fang-Howard wave function. The Gaussian and
zG wave functions give Haldane pseudopotential parameters which agree with those of self-consistent local density approximation calculations to better than $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2%.$ For quantum well parameters typical of heterostructure samples, we find gap reductions of around 20%. The experimental gaps, after accounting heuristically for disorder, are still around 40% smaller than the computed gaps. However, for the case of tetracene layers in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices we find that the measured activation gaps are close to those we compute. We discuss possible reasons why the difference between computed and measured activation gaps is larger in GaAs heterostructures than MIS devices. Finally, we present calculations using systems with up to 18 electrons of the gap at $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{5}{2}$ including width corrections.
By numerical exact diagonalization techniques, we obtain the quantum phase diagram of the lattice fractional quantum Hall (FQH) systems in the presence of quenched disorder. By implementing an array of local potential traps representing the disorder, we show that the system undergoes a series of quantum phase transitions as the disorder and/or the interaction is tuned. As the strength of potential traps is increased, the FQH state turns into a compressible liquid and then into a topologically trivial insulator. We use the numerically calculated energy gap, quantum degeneracy, the Chern number, the entanglement spectrum, and the fidelity metric to identify various quantum phases. The connection to continuum FQH effects is also discussed.
The fractional quantum Hall (FQH) effect at the filling number ν=5/2 is a primary candidate for non-Abelian topological order, while the fate of such a state in the presence of random disorder has not been resolved. We address this open question by implementing an unbiased diagnosis based on numerical exact diagonalization. We calculate the disorder averaged Hall conductance and the associated statistical distribution of the topological invariant Chern number, which unambiguously characterize the disorder-driven collapse of the FQH state. As the disorder strength increases towards a critical value, a continuous phase transition is detected based on the disorder configuration averaged wave function fidelity and the entanglement entropy. In the strong disorder regime, we identify a composite Fermi liquid phase with fluctuating Chern numbers, in striking contrast to the well-known ν=1/3 case where an Anderson insulator appears. Interestingly, the lowest Landau level projected a local density profile, the wave function overlap, and the entanglement entropy as a function of disorder strength simultaneously signal an intermediate phase, which may be relevant to the recent proposal of a particle-hole Pfaffian state or Pfaffian-anti-Pfaffian puddle state.
Localization of particle wavefunctions in quasi-disordered one dimensional incommensurate lattices is studied both numerically and analytically. Through exact diagonalization, we show that energy dependent mobility edges can appear in the case of shallow lattices. We also show that these mobility edges can be studied with a tight-binding model (an extension of the Aubry-Andre model) that has energy dependent mobility edges that can be determined analytically. Topological aspects of the Aubry-Andre/Harper model are also studied by numerically calculating the Chern number. We first verify arguments by numerical calculations that variations in the Chern density decrease with increasing system size when the potential is incommensurate with the lattice. Next we introduce random disorder into the model and study the Chern number and the Chern density as a function of disorder strength by using the non-commutative Brillouin zone. We show that variations of the Chern density take on the same trends for both commensurate and incommensurate potentials after some critical disorder strength is reached. Strongly correlated quantum Hall states are also examined. We numerically examine the entanglement entropy and the entanglement spectrum of fractional quantum hall states as a function of the finite layer thickness
d of the quasi-two-dimensional system for a number of filling fractions
ν in the lowest and the second Landau levels:
ν = 1/3, 7/3, 1/2, and 5/2. We observe that the entanglement measures are dependent on which Landau level the electrons fractionally occupy and are completely consistent with the results based on wavefunction overlap calculations. We also compare the ground state energies by variational Monte Carlo of the spin unpolarized Halperin 331 and the spin polarized Moore-Read (MR) Pfaffian fractional quantum Hall states at half filling of the lowest Landau level (LLL) and the second Landau level (SLL) as a function of small deviations around the Coulomb point. Our results suggest that even under moderate deviations in the interaction potential the MR Pfaffian description is more energetically favorable than the Halperin 331 state in the half filled SLL, consistent with recent experimental investigations.
We theoretically examine entanglement in fractional quantum hall states, explicitly taking into account and emphasizing the quasi-two-dimensional nature of experimental quantum Hall systems. In particular, we study the entanglement entropy and the entanglement spectrum as a function of the finite layer thickness,
d, of the quasi-two-dimensional system for a number of filling fractions $\ensuremath{\nu}$ in the lowest and the second Landau levels: $\ensuremath{\nu}$ = 1/3, 7/3, 1/2, and 5/2. We observe that the entanglement measures are dependent on which Landau level the electrons fractionally occupy, and find that filling fractions 1/3 and 7/3, which are considered to be Laughlin states, weaken with
d in the lowest Landau level ($\ensuremath{\nu}=1/3$) and strengthen with
d in the second Landau level ($\ensuremath{\nu}=7/3$). For the enigmatic even-denominator $\ensuremath{\nu}=5/2$ state, we find that entanglement in the ground state is consistent with that of the non-Abelian Moore-Read Pfaffian state at an optimal thickness,
d. We also find that the single-layer $\ensuremath{\nu}=1/2$ system is not a fractional quantum Hall state consistent with the experimental observation. In general, our theoretical findings based on entanglement considerations are completely consistent with the results based on wave-function overlap calculations.
By exactly solving the effective two-body interaction for two-dimensional electron system with layer thickness and an in-plane magnetic field, we recently found that the effective interaction can be described by the generalized pseudopotentials (PPs) without the rotational symmetry. With this pseudopotential description, we numerically investigate the behavior of the fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states both in the lowest Landau level (LLL) and first Landau level (1LL). The enhancements of the 7/3 FQH state on the 1LL for a small tilted magnetic field are observed when layer thickness is larger than some critical values. While the gap of the 1/3 state in the LLL monotonically reduced with increasing the in-plane field. From the static structure factor calculation, we find that the systems are strongly anisotropic and finally enter into a stripe phase with a large tilting. With considering the Landau level mixing correction on the two-body interaction, we find the strong LL mixing cancels the enhancements of the FQH states in the 1LL.