Flux period scaling in the Laughlin quasiparticle interferometer

TL;DR

This study investigates flux period scaling in quantum Hall interferometers, revealing that both integer and fractional quasiparticle flux periods scale with island size and confirming a Laughlin quasiparticle flux period of 5h/e.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates the linear dependence of Aharonov-Bohm period on gate voltage and confirms the flux period for Laughlin quasiparticles as 5h/e, advancing understanding of quasiparticle interference.

Findings

Flux period scales with the island radius.

Laughlin quasiparticle flux period is 5h/e.

Experimental data confirms size-dependent flux scaling.

Abstract

We report experiments on electron interferometer devices in the quantum Hall regime, where edge channels circle a 2D electron island. The main confinement is produced by etch trenches, into which front gate metal is deposited. We find a linear dependence of the Aharonov-Bohm period on gate voltage for electrons (integer filling f=1) and for Laughlin quasiparticles (fractional 2/5 embedded in 1/3). The capacitance of a large 2D electron island with respect to the front gates is approximately proportional to the island radius. Comparing the experimental data for the integer and the fractional fillings and for two samples, we find the magnetic field period and its slope scale with the radius of the Aharonov-Bohm orbit. Analysis of the directly measured integer and fractional slope data allows to determine the interferometer area in the fractional regime, and thus the Laughlin quasiparticle flux period of 5h/e, within the experimental accuracy.