Soft edges, reconstructions, and collective edge modes of the two-dimensional Wigner crystal
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055 (United States)
- Departement de Physique et Centre de Recherches en Physique du Solide, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1 (Canada)
The structure of edge electrons in the magnetically induced Wigner crystal is examined in the situation of a soft-edge potential that allows the electron density to fall off slowly from its bulk value to zero. We find various reconstructions at the edges, which in many cases have structures that may be understood in terms of local charge neutrality. The collective modes for the system are computed using a classical method and it is found that there are very low-energy edge modes associated with the reconstructions. It is argued that a quantum treatment should lead to new gapless modes, since the reconstructions represent broken-symmetry states. In either case, it is expected that the existence of such low-energy modes implies that the edge electrons should be easily depinned from the bulk by a finite electric field. The effects of edge currents should play an important role in the conduction properties of narrow systems.
- OSTI ID:
- 6184372
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Vol. 48:4; ISSN 0163-1829
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ELECTRON GAS
CRYSTALLIZATION
CHARGE DENSITY
GROUND STATES
HARTREE-FOCK METHOD
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
CALCULATION METHODS
ENERGY LEVELS
FLUIDS
GASES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
665430* - Other Topics in Quantum Fluids & Solids- (1992-)