Model for Breakdown of Laminar Flow of a Quantum Hall Fluid Around a Charged Impurity: Comparison with Experiment

TL;DR

This paper proposes a model explaining the breakdown of the integer quantum Hall effect around charged impurities, matching experimental voltage step measurements and comparing with hydrodynamic descriptions.

Contribution

It introduces a magneto-exciton generation mechanism for quantum Hall breakdown and validates it against experimental data, offering a new theoretical perspective.

Findings

Calculated voltage steps agree with experimental measurements

Magneto-exciton generation explains breakdown behavior

Comparison with hydrodynamic models highlights differences

Abstract

In samples used to maintain the US resistance standard the breakdown of the dissipationless integer quantum Hall effect occurs as a series of dissipative voltage steps. A mechanism for this type of breakdown is proposed, based on the generation of magneto-excitons when the quantum Hall fluid flows past an ionised impurity above a critical velocity. The calculated generation rate gives a voltage step height in good agreement with measurements. We also compare this model to a hydrodynamic description of breakdown.