Detecting Non-Abelian Statistics in the nu=5/2 Fractional Quantum Hall State

We generalize the fractional quantum Hall hierarchy picture to apply to arbitrary, possibly non-Abelian, fractional quantum Hall states. Applying this to the nu = 5/2 Moore-Read state, we construct new explicit trial wavefunctions to describe the fractional quantum Hall effect in the second Landau level. The resulting hierarchy of states, which reproduces the filling fractions of all observed Hall conductance plateaus in the second Landau level, is characterized by electron p...

We study the ground state and low-energy excitations of fractional quantum Hall systems on a disk at filling fraction $\nu = 5/2$, with Coulomb interaction and background confining potential. We find the Moore-Read ground state is stable within a finite but narrow window in parameter space. The corresponding low-energy excitations contain a fermionic branch and a bosonic branch, with widely different velocities. A short-range repulsive potential can stabilize a charge $+e/4$ ...

In two dimensions, the laws of physics permit existence of anyons, particles with fractional statistics which is neither Fermi nor Bose. That is, upon exchange of two such particles, the quantum state of a system acquires a phase which is neither 0 nor \pi, but can be any value. The elementary excitations (Laughlin quasiparticles) of a fractional quantum Hall fluid have fractional electric charge and are expected to obey fractional statistics. Here we report experimental real...

We examine the relation between different electronic transport phenomena in a Fabry-Perot interferometer in the fractional quantum Hall regime. In particular, we study the way these phenomena reflect the statistics of quantum Hall quasi-particles. For two series of states we examine, one abelian and one non-abelian, we show that the information that may be obtained from measurements of the lowest order interference pattern in an open Fabry-Perot interferometer is identical to...

Several states were proposed as candidates for the $\nu=5/2$ quantum Hall plateau. We suggest an experiment which can determine the physical state. The proposal involves transport measurements in the geometry with three quantum Hall edges connected by two quantum point contacts. In contrast to interference experiments, this approach can distinguish the Pfaffian and anti-Pfaffian states as well as different states with identical Pfaffian or anti-Pfaffian statistics. The transp...

Quasiparticles, which obey non abelian statistics, were predicted to exist in different physical systems, but are yet to be observed directly. Possible candidate states, which are expected to support such quasiparticles, are the {\nu}=8/3, {\nu}=5/2 and {\nu}=7/3 fractional quantum Hall states (in the second Landau level). The non abelian quasiparticles are expected to carry charge and a unique form of a chiral neutral edge mode. Recent measurements in the {\nu}=5/2 state det...

The quasiparticles in Quantum Hall liquids carry fractional charge and obey fractional quantum statistics. Of particular recent interest are those with non-Abelian statistics, since their braiding properties could in principle be used for robust coding of quantum information. There is already a good theoretical understanding of quasiholes both in Abelian and non-Abelian QH states. Here we develop conformal field theory methods that allow for an equally precise description of ...

We use exact numerical diagonalization in the search of fractional quantum Hall states with non-Abelian quasiparticle statistics. For the (most promising) states in a partially filled second Landau level, the search is narrowed to the range of filling factors $7/3 <\nu_e<8/3$. In this range, the analysis of energy spectra and correlation functions, calculated including finite width and Landau level mixing, supports the prominent non-Abelian candidates at $\nu_e=5/2$ (paired M...

A standing problem in low dimensional electron systems is the nature of the 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state: its elementary excitations are a focus for both elucidating the state's properties and as candidates in methods to perform topological quantum computation. Interferometric devices may be employed to manipulate and measure quantum Hall edge excitations. Here we use a small area edge state interferometer designed to observe quasiparticle interference effects. Oscillati...

Topological quantum computation has recently emerged as one of the most exciting approaches to constructing a fault-tolerant quantum computer. The proposal relies on the existence of topological states of matter whose quasiparticle excitations are neither bosons nor fermions, but are particles known as {\it Non-Abelian anyons}, meaning that they obey {\it non-Abelian braiding statistics}. Quantum information is stored in states with multiple quasiparticles, which have a topol...