Half-Integral Spin-Singlet Quantum Hall Effect

TL;DR

This paper presents numerical evidence that the ground state at filling factor 1/2 in a quantum Hall system is an incompressible, spin-singlet state well-described by a specific trial wave function, suggesting possible fractional quantum Hall effect at this filling.

Contribution

It demonstrates the nature of the ground state at ν=1/2 and its accurate description by a known trial wave function, indicating potential for fractional quantum Hall effect at this filling.

Findings

Ground state at ν=1/2 is incompressible and spin-singlet.

Trial wave function accurately describes the state.

Fractional quantum Hall effect may occur at ν=1/2.

Abstract

We provide numerical evidence that the ground state of a short range interaction model at $\nu=1/2$ is incompressible and spin-singlet for a wide range of repulsive interactions. Furthermore it is accurately described by a trial wave function studied earlier. For the Coulomb interaction we find that this wave function provides a good description of the lowest lying spin-singlet state, and propose that fractional quantum Hall effect would occur at $\nu=1/2$ if this state became the global ground state.