On the Thermodynamics of Laughlin Liquid Freezing

TL;DR

This paper explores how the fractional quantum Hall effect influences the thermodynamics of phase transitions between liquid and solid states in strongly correlated electron systems under strong magnetic fields.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of incompressible fractional quantum Hall states on the thermodynamics of liquid-solid transitions.

Findings

Incompressible states affect phase transition thermodynamics.

Fractionally charged quasiparticles play a role in freezing behavior.

Strong magnetic fields alter liquid-solid competition in electron systems.

Abstract

The competition between liquid and solid states of strongly correlated electron systems occurs in a novel way in a strong magnetic field. The fact that certain Landau level filling factors are especially favorable for the formation of strongly correlated liquid states, gives rise to the fractional quantum Hall effect. In this article we discuss some consequences of the existence of incompressible states with fractionally charged quasiparticle excitations for the thermodynamics of the liquid-solid transition.