Analysis of a SU(4) generalization of Halperin's wave function as an approach towards a SU(4) fractional quantum Hall effect in graphene sheets

Inspired by the four-fold spin-valley symmetry of relativistic electrons in graphene, we investigate a possible SU(4) fractional quantum Hall effect, which may also arise in bilayer semiconductor quantum Hall systems with small Zeeman gap. SU(4) generalizations of Halperin's wave functions [Helv. Phys. Acta 56, 75 (1983)], which may break differently the original SU(4) symmetry, are studied analytically and compared, at nu=2/3, to exact-diagonalization studies.Comment: 4+epsilon pages, 4 figures; published version with minor correction

Exciton spectrum in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides: The role of Diracness

The physics of excitons, electron-hole pairs that are bound together by their mutual Coulomb attraction, can to great extent be understood in the framework of the quantum-mechanical hydrogen model. This model has recently been challenged by spectroscopic measurements on two-dimensional transition-metal dichalchogenides that unveil strong deviations from a hydrogenic spectrum. Here, we show that this deviation is due to the particular relativistic character of electrons in this class of materials. Indeed, their electrons are no longer described in terms of a Schroedinger but a massive Dirac equation that intimately links electrons to holes. Dirac excitons therefore inherit a relativistic quantum spin-1/2 that contributes to the angular momentum and thus the exciton spectrum. Most saliently, the level spacing is strongly reduced as compared to the hydrogen model, in agreement with spectroscopic measurements and ab-initio calculations.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in the proceedings of ICPS 201

Charged exctions in two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides - semiclassical calculation of Berry-curvature effects

We theoretically study the role of the Berry curvature on neutral and charged excitons in two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides. The Berry curvature arises due to a strong coupling between the conduction and valence bands in these materials that can to great extent be described within the model of massive Dirac fermions. The Berry curvature lifts the degeneracy of exciton states with opposite angular momentum. Using an electronic interaction that accounts for non-local screening effects, we find a Berry-curvature induced splitting of $\sim 17$ meV between the 2$p_{-}$ and 2$p_{+}$ exciton states in WS$_2$, consistent with experimental findings. Furthermore, we calculate the trion binding energies in WS$_2$ and WSe$_2$ for a large variety of screening lenghts and different dielectric constants for the environment. Our approach indicates the prominent role played by the Berry curvature along with non-local electronic interactions in the understanding of the energy spectra of neutral and charged excitons in transition-metal dichalcogenides and in the the interpretation of their optical properties.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Model Prediction of Self-Rotating Excitons in Two-Dimensional Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides

Using the quasiclassical concept of Berry curvature we demonstrate that a Dirac exciton - a pair of Dirac quasiparticles bound by Coulomb interactions - inevitably possesses an intrinsic angular momentum making the exciton effectively self-rotating. The model is applied to excitons in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, in which the charge carriers are known to be described by a Dirac-like Hamiltonian. We show that the topological self-rotation strongly modifies the exciton spectrum and, as a consequence, resolves the puzzle of the overestimated two-dimensional polarizability employed to fit earlier spectroscopic measurements.Comment: 4+ pages, 2 figures, suppl. mat. added (4 pages), the title changed by PRL editor

Quantum Phases in Partially Filled Landau Levels

We compare the energies of different electron solids, such as bubble crystals with triangular and square symmetry and stripe phases, to those of correlated quantum liquids in partially filled intermediate Landau levels. Multiple transitions between these phases when varying the filling of the top-most partially filled Landau level explain the observed reentrance of the integer quantum Hall effect. The phase transitions are identified as first-order. This leads to a variety of measurable phenomena such as the phase coexistence between a Wigner crystal and a two-electron bubble phase in a Landau-level filling-factor range $4.15 < nu < 4.26$, which has recently been observed in transport measurements under micro-wave irradiation.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures; to appear in "Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on High Magnetic Fields in Semiconductor Physics (SemiMag-16)

Flat-band ferromagnetism in a topological Hubbard model

We study the flat-band ferromagnetic phase of a topological Hubbard model within a bosonization formalism and, in particular, determine the spin-wave excitation spectrum. We consider a square lattice Hubbard model at 1/4-filling whose free-electron term is the \pi-flux model with topologically nontrivial and nearly flat energy bands. The electron spin is introduced such that the model either explicitly breaks time-reversal symmetry (correlated flat-band Chern insulator) or is invariant under time-reversal symmetry (correlated flat-band $Z_2$ topological insulator). We generalize for flat-band Chern and topological insulators the bosonization formalism [Phys. Rev. B 71, 045339 (2005)] previously developed for the two-dimensional electron gas in a uniform and perpendicular magnetic field at filling factor \nu=1. We show that, within the bosonization scheme, the topological Hubbard model is mapped into an effective interacting boson model. We consider the boson model at the harmonic approximation and show that, for the correlated Chern insulator, the spin-wave excitation spectrum is gapless while, for the correlated topological insulator, gapped. We briefly comment on the possible effects of the boson-boson (spin-wave--spin-wave) coupling.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Second Generation of Composite Fermions and the Self-Similarity of the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect

A recently developed model of interacting composite fermions, is used to investigate different composite-fermion phases. Their interaction potential allows for the formation of both solid and new quantum-liquid phases, which are interpreted in terms of second-generation composite fermions and which may be responsible for the fractional quantum Hall states observed at unusual filling factors, such as nu=4/11. Projection of the composite-fermion dynamics to a single level, involved in the derivation of the Hamiltonian of interacting composite fermions, reveals the underlying self-similarity of the model.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure; to appear in "Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on High Magnetic Fields in Semiconductor Physics (SemiMag-16)", only change with respect to v1: correction in authors line, no changes in manuscrip