Wavefunction statistics and multifractality at the spin quantum Hall transition

Abstract

The statistical properties of wave functions at the critical point of the spin quantum Hall transition are studied. The main emphasis is put onto determination of the spectrum of multifractal exponents $\Delta_q$ governing the scaling of moments $<|\psi|^{2q}>\sim L^{-qd-\Delta_q}$ with the system size $L$ and the spatial decay of wave function correlations. Two- and three-point correlation functions are calculated analytically by means of mapping onto the classical percolation, yielding the values $\Delta_2=-1/4$ and $\Delta_3=-3/4$. The multifractality spectrum obtained from numerical simulations is given with a good accuracy by the parabolic approximation $\Delta_q\simeq q(1-q)/8$ but shows detectable deviations. We also study statistics of the two-point conductance $g$, in particular, the spectrum of exponents $X_q$ characterizing the scaling of the moments $<g^q >$. Relations between the spectra of critical exponents of wave functions ($\Delta_q$), conductances ($X_q$), and Green functions at the localization transition with a critical density of states are discussed.