Understanding the Missing Fractional Quantum Hall States in ZnO

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the strong Coulomb interactions and small Landau level gaps in ZnO affect fractional quantum Hall states, explaining experimental observations of their absence or presence.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical analysis using screened Coulomb potential and exact diagonalization to explain fractional quantum Hall phenomena in ZnO, highlighting the role of Landau level interactions.

Findings

Explains absence of 5/2 state in ZnO

Accounts for presence of 9/2 state

Highlights importance of Coulomb interactions in ZnO

Abstract

We have analyzed the crucial role the Coulomb interaction strength plays on the even and odd denominator fractional quantum Hall effects in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in the ZnO heterointerface. In this system, the Landau level gaps are much smaller than those in conventional GaAs systems. The Coulomb interaction is also very large compared to the Landau level gap even in very high magnetic fields. We therefore consider the influence of higher Landau levels by considering the screened Coulomb potential in the random phase approximation. Interestingly, our exact diagonalization studies of the collective modes with this screened potential successfully explain recent experiments of even and odd denominator fractional quantum Hall effects, in particular, the unexpected absence of the 5/2 state and the presence of 9/2 state in ZnO.