Quantum Hall Effect Breakdown Research Articles

Two-step breakdown of a local ν=1 quantum Hall state

We report quantum Hall effect breakdown of a local filling factor v_local = 1 state formed in a bulk v_bulk = 2 system in an AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. When a finite source-drain bias is applied across the local system, the breakdown occurs in two steps. At low bias, quantized conductance through the v_local = 1 system breaks down due to inter-edge electron tunneling. At high bias, the incompressibility of the v_local = 1 system breaks down because the spin gap closes. The two steps are resolved by combining measurements of resistively detected nuclear magnetic resonance and shot noise, which allows one to evaluate electron spin polarization in the local system and spin-dependent charge transport through the system, respectively.

Counterflowing edge current and its equilibration in quantum Hall devices with sharp edge potential: Roles of incompressible strips and contact configuration

We report the observation of counterflowing edge current in InAs quantum wells which leads to the breakdown of quantum Hall (QH) effects at high magnetic fields. Counterflowing edge channels arise from the Fermi-level pinning of InAs and the resultant sharp edge potential with downward bending. By measuring the counterflow conductance for varying edge lengths, we determine the effective number $\langle N_\text{C} \rangle$ of counterflowing modes and their equilibration length $\lambda_\text{eq}$ at bulk integer filling factor $\nu = 1$--$4$. $\lambda_\text{eq}$ increased exponentially with magnetic field $B$, reaching $200~\mu$m for $\nu = 4$ at $B \geq 7.6$~T. Our data reveal important roles of the innermost incompressible strip with even filling in determining $\langle N_\text{C} \rangle$ and $\lambda_\text{eq}$ and the impact of the contact configuration on the QH effect breakdown. Our results show that counterflowing edge channels manifest as transport anomalies only at high fields and in short edges. This in turn suggests that, even in the integer QH regime, the actual microscopic structure of edge states can differ from that anticipated from macroscopic transport measurements, which is relevant to various systems including atomic-layer materials.

Integer channels in nonuniform non-equilibrium 2D systems

We discuss the non-equilibrium properties of integer channels in nonuniform 2D electron (hole) systems in the presence of a strong magnetic field. The results are applied to a qualitative explanation of the Corbino disk current-voltage characteristics (IVC) in the quantum Hall effect (QHE) regime. Special consideration is paid to the so-called “QHE breakdown” effect, which is readily observed in both the Hall bar and Corbino geometries of the tested cells. The QHE breakdown is especially evident in the Corbino samples, allowing for a more in-depth study of these effects.

Puddle-Induced Resistance Oscillations in the Breakdown of the Graphene Quantum Hall Effect.

We report on the stability of the quantum Hall plateau in wide Hall bars made from a chemically gated graphene film grown on SiC. The ν=2 quantized plateau appears from fields B≃5 T and persists up to B≃80 T. At high current density, in the breakdown regime, the longitudinal resistance oscillates with a 1/B periodicity and an anomalous phase, which we relate to the presence of additional electron reservoirs. The high field experimental data suggest that these reservoirs induce a continuous increase of the carrier density up to the highest available magnetic field, thus enlarging the quantum plateaus. These in-plane inhomogeneities, in the form of high carrier density graphene pockets, modulate the quantum Hall effect breakdown and decrease the breakdown current.

Giant Fano factor and bistability in a Corbino disk in the quantum Hall effect breakdown regime

We performed noise measurements for a Corbino disk in the quantum Hall effect breakdown regime. We investigated two Corbino-disk-type devices with different sizes and observed that the Fano factor increases when the length between the contacts doubles. This observation is consistent with the avalanche picture suggested by the bootstrap electron heating model. The temperature dependence of the Fano factor indicates that the avalanche effect becomes more prominent as temperature decreases. Moreover, in the highly nonlinear regime, negative differential resistance and temporal oscillation due to bistability are found. A possible interpretation of this result is that Zener tunneling of electrons between Landau levels occurs.

Avalanche electron bunching in a Corbino disk in the quantum Hall effect breakdown regime

We have measured the current noise in a device with Corbino geometry to investigate the dynamics of electrons in the breakdown regime of the integer quantum Hall effect (QHE). In the breakdown regime, the Fano factor of the current noise exceeds ${10}^{3}$, which indicates the presence of electron bunching. As super-Poissonian current noise is observed only in the breakdown regime, the bunching effect is related to the QHE breakdown. These observations support a QHE breakdown mechanism that involves an electron avalanche.

Phase Space for the Breakdown of the Quantum Hall Effect in Epitaxial Graphene

We report the phase space defined by the quantum Hall effect breakdown in polymer gated epitaxial graphene on SiC (SiC/G) as a function of temperature, current, carrier density, and magnetic fields up to 30 T. At 2 K, breakdown currents (I(c)) almost 2 orders of magnitude greater than in GaAs devices are observed. The phase boundary of the dissipationless state (ρ(xx)=0) shows a [1-(T/T(c))2] dependence and persists up to T(c)>45 K at 29 T. With magnetic field I(c) was found to increase ∝B(3/2) and T(c)∝B2. As the Fermi energy pproaches the Dirac point, the ν=2 quantized Hall plateau appears continuously from fields as low as 1 T up to at least 19 T due to a strong magnetic field dependence of the carrier density.

Pump-probe nuclear magnetic resonance measurement in quantum Hall effect breakdown regime

An electrically detected nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal is studied with respect to source-drain current for current-induced nuclear-spin polarization in the quantum Hall breakdown regime. We perform pump-probe measurements to discern the effects of current pumping and probing sensitivity on the NMR signal. We find that both factors contribute to the NMR signal. Within the higher current region in particular, nuclear-spin probing sensitivity has the dominant influence on the NMR signal rather than the nuclear-spin pumping effect. The results are discussed using a model, taking the resistance change with the nuclear-spin polarization and current-induced heating into account.

Observation of finite excess noise in the voltage-biased quantum Hall regime as a precursor for breakdown

We performed noise measurements in a two-dimensional electron gas to investigate the nonequilibrium quantum Hall effect (QHE) state. While excess noise is perfectly suppressed around the zero-biased QHE state reflecting the dissipationless electron transport of the QHE state, considerable finite excess noise is observed in the breakdown regime of the QHE. The noise temperature deduced from the excess noise is found to be of the same order as the energy gap between the highest occupied Landau level and the lowest empty one. Moreover, unexpected finite excess noise is observed at a finite source-drain bias voltagesmaller than the onset voltage of the QHE breakdown, which indicates finite dissipation in the QHE state and may be related to the prebreakdown of the QHE.

High-current breakdown of the quantum Hall effect and electron heating in InSb/AlInSb

We report measurements of the temperature and electric field dependent breakdown of the quantum Hall effect in two-dimensional InSb/AlInSb heterostructures. The electron temperature Te is studied as a function of electric field and it is shown that the energy loss rates of electrons to the lattice follow a (Te3−TL3) dependence for 2 K<Te<22 K at a lattice temperature TL=1.5 K. The high-current induced breakdown of the quantum Hall effect (QHE) is linearly proportional to sample width as deduced from the Hall resistivity and shows breakdown at lower current densities as deduced from the resistivity (ρxx) due to nonuniformity in carrier density. Temperature dependent studies show that the quantum Hall effect persists to considerably higher temperatures than the conventional GaAs/AlGaAs system. Using the energy loss rates, we describe the QHE breakdown in terms of bootstrap-type electron heating.

Quantum Hall effect in exfoliated graphene affected by charged impurities: Metrological measurements

Metrological investigations of the quantum Hall effect (QHE) completed by transport measurements at low magnetic field are carried out in a-few-$\mu\mathrm{m}$-wide Hall bars made of monolayer (ML) or bilayer (BL) exfoliated graphene transferred on $\textrm{Si/SiO}_{2}$ substrate. From the charge carrier density dependence of the conductivity and from the measurement of the quantum corrections at low magnetic field, we deduce that transport properties in these devices are mainly governed by the Coulomb interaction of carriers with a large concentration of charged impurities. In the QHE regime, at high magnetic field and low temperature ($T<1.3 \textrm{K}$), the Hall resistance is measured by comparison with a GaAs based quantum resistance standard using a cryogenic current comparator. In the low dissipation limit, it is found quantized within 5 parts in $10^{7}$ (one standard deviation, $1 \sigma$) at the expected rational fractions of the von Klitzing constant, respectively $R_{\mathrm{K}}/2$ and $R_{\mathrm{K}}/4$ in the ML and BL devices. These results constitute the most accurate QHE quantization tests to date in monolayer and bilayer exfoliated graphene. It turns out that a main limitation to the quantization accuracy, which is found well above the $10^{-9}$ accuracy usually achieved in GaAs, is the low value of the QHE breakdown current being no more than $1 \mu\mathrm{A}$. The current dependence of the longitudinal conductivity investigated in the BL Hall bar shows that dissipation occurs through quasi-elastic inter-Landau level scattering, assisted by large local electric fields. We propose that charged impurities are responsible for an enhancement of such inter-Landau level transition rate and cause small breakdown currents.

Spatial gradient of dynamic nuclear spin polarization induced by breakdown of the quantum Hall effect

We studied spatial distribution of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) in a Hall-bar device in a breakdown regime of the quantum Hall effect (QHE). We detected nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals from the polarized nuclear spins by measuring the Hall voltage $V_{xy}$ using three pairs of voltage probes attached to the conducting channel of the Hall bar. We find that the amplitude of the NMR signal depends on the position of the Hall voltage probes and that the largest NMR signal is obtained from the pair of probes farthest from the electron-injecting electrode. Combined with results on pump-and-probe measurements, we conclude that the DNP induced by QHE breakdown develops along the electron-drift direction.

Coherent manipulation of nuclear spins in the breakdown regime of integer quantum Hall states

We demonstrate a new method for electrical manipulation of nuclear spins utilizing dynamic nuclear polarization induced by quantum Hall effect breakdown. Nuclear spins are polarized and detected through the hyperfine interaction between a nuclear spin system and a two-dimensional electron system located at an interface of GaAs/AlGaAs single heterostructure. Coherent oscillations between the nuclear-spin quantum states are observed by measuring the longitudinal voltage of the conductor.

Dynamic Nuclear Polarization in a Quantum Hall Corbino Disk

Electrical polarization of nuclear spins is studied in a Corbino disk under a breakdown regime of the quantum Hall effect (QHE). Since the edge channels are completely absent in the Corbino disk, we conclude that the electric current flowing in the bulk channel of a quantum Hall conductor is relevant to dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). A pump and probe measurement demonstrates that DNP emerges near the critical voltage of the QHE breakdown. The agreement of the onset voltage of DNP with that of the QHE breakdown indicates that the underlying origin of DNP is closely related to that of the QHE breakdown.

Dynamic nuclear polarization and Knight shift measurements in a breakdown regime of integer quantum Hall effect

Nuclear spins are polarized electrically in a breakdown regime of an odd-integer quantum Hall effect (QHE). Electron excitation to the upper Landau subband with the opposite spin polarity flips nuclear spins through the hyperfine interaction. The polarized nuclear spins reduce the spin-splitting energy and accelerate the QHE breakdown. The Knight shift of the nuclear spins is also measured by tuning electron density during the irradiation of radio-frequency magnetic fields.

Electrical polarization of nuclear spins in a breakdown regime of quantum Hall effect

The authors have developed a method for electrical polarization of nuclear spins in quantum Hall systems. In a breakdown regime of odd-integer quantum Hall effect (QHE), excitation of electrons to the upper Landau subband with opposite spin polarity dynamically polarizes nuclear spins through the hyperfine interaction. The polarized nuclear spins in turn accelerate the QHE breakdown, leading to hysteretic voltage-current characteristics of the quantum Hall conductor.

Imaging of current distribution in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum Hall devices

We have measured the current distribution in GaAs/AlGaAs two-dimensional electron system (2DES) at quantum Hall effect (QHE) regime to investigate the mechanism of QHE breakdown. A Hall-bar device on the scanning stage is locally illuminated by an infrared laser light guided by polarization maintaining optical fiber at QHE condition. We have tried to map the QHE breakdown critical current with local photo-excitation. The mapping of breakdown critical current shows the current concentration at the center region of 2DES channel in the sample where the critical current shows sub-linear dependence on the channel width. We have also tried to measure the Hall potential imaging in the electric current flowing 2DES by means of Pockels effect in GaAs/AlGaAs sample. The experimental techniques of the optical fiber based current distribution imaging in the high magnetic field up to 9 T have been reported in detail.

Induced currents, frozen charges and the quantum Hall effect breakdown

Puzzling results obtained from torque magnetometry in the quantum Hall effect regime are presented, and a theory is proposed for their explanation. Magnetic moment saturation, which is usually attributed to the quantum Hall effect breakdown, is shown to be related to the charge redistribution across the sample.

BREAKDOWN OF THE QUANTUM HALL EFFECTS IN HOLE SYSTEMS AT HIGH INDUCED CURRENTS

The magnetisation of two dimensional hole systems in the quantum Hall regime has been studied using a highly-sensitive torsion balance magnetometer. In a time varying magnetic field eddy currents are induced which become large around integer and fractional filling factors where ρxx takes a very low value. The sweep rate and temperature dependence of these induced currents are in good agreement with the model of quantum Hall effect breakdown proposed recently by Matthews et al. This model also allows comparison between the energy gap at different filling factors and so provides a measurement of the fractional quantum Hall effect energy gap, Δ1/3, and the spin split energy gap, g*μ B B.

Bulk nature of sub-linear width dependent breakdown of the quantum Hall effect

We have investigated the quantum Hall effect breakdown (QHE) by using samples whose confinement potential at the sample boundary is tunable by using side gate structure. The Hall bar shaped samples are made of two types of the GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure wafers, where the QHE breakdown current is linear or sub-linear to the sample width. In both linear and sub-linear type of samples, the value of breakdown current is scarcely affected by changing the side gate voltage, which suggests that the QHE breakdown is almost independent of the confinement potential at the 2DEG edge. We have measured the QHE breakdown with Corbino shaped samples. The critical voltage in the sub-linear type sample is much smaller (<3 kV/ m) than those in the linear type samples (≈10 kV/ m) , and the width dependence of critical voltage shows nonlinear feature. The origin of the sub-linear type QHE breakdown is not ‘edge effect’ but the properties of bulk two-dimensional electron system.