Landau quantization and equatorial states on a surface of a nanosphere

TL;DR

This paper investigates Landau quantization on a spherical surface, revealing that strong magnetic fields induce equatorial electronic states and stripe formations, especially in low-density electron gases.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of Landau levels on a sphere and describes the formation of equatorial states and stripes under high magnetic fields.

Findings

Lowest energy states have magnetic quantum numbers proportional to flux quanta

High magnetic fields cause electronic stripe formation at the sphere's equator

Low-density electron gases exhibit distinct Landau quantization effects

Abstract

The Landau quantization for the electron gas on a surface of sphere is considered. We show that in the regime of strong fields the lowest energy states are those with magnetic quantum numbers m of order of Phi/Phi_0, the number of magnetic flux quanta piercing the sphere. For the electron gas of low density (semiconducting situation), it leads to the formation of the electronic stripe on the equator of the sphere in high fields.