Quantum Phase Transition in Skyrmion Lattices

TL;DR

This paper studies the quantum phase transition in skyrmion lattices within a 2D electron gas under Quantum Hall conditions, revealing pairing and a transition analogous to superconductivity.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a quantum phase transition in skyrmion lattices, showing pairing at low density and a transition similar to superconductivity at higher density.

Findings

Skyrmions form bound pairs at low density.

The skyrmion lattice undergoes a quantum phase transition.

The transition is analogous to superconducting phase transition.

Abstract

We investigate the ground state of 2D electron gas in Quantum Hall regime at the filling factor slightly deviating from unity, that can be viewed as a sparse lattice of skyrmions. We have found that in the low density limit skyrmions are bound in pairs, those forming the actual lattice. We have shown that at further density increase the lattice undergoes a quantum phase transition, an analogue of superconducting phase transition in Josephson junction arrays.