Majorana edge reconstruction and the $ν=5/2$ non-Abelian thermal Hall puzzle

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Lotrič, Tevž, Wang, Taige, Zaletel, Michael P., Simon, Steven H., Parameswaran, S. A.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Lotrič, Tevž
Wang, Taige
Zaletel, Michael P.
Simon, Steven H.
Parameswaran, S. A.
author_facet Lotrič, Tevž
Wang, Taige
Zaletel, Michael P.
Simon, Steven H.
Parameswaran, S. A.
contents Pioneering thermal transport measurements on two-dimensional electron gases in high magnetic fields have demonstrated that the quantized Hall state at filling factor $ν=5/2$ has a thermal Hall conductance $κ$ quantized in half-integer multiples of $κ_0 = {π^2 k_B^2 T}/{3h}$. Half-integer $κ/κ_0$ is a signature of neutral Majorana edge modes, in turn linked to the presence of non-Abelian anyon excitations in the bulk. However, the experimentally observed value of $κ$ corresponds to the 'PH-Pfaffian' state, in tension with numerical studies which instead favor either the Pfaffian or the AntiPfaffian. A variety of mechanisms have been invoked to explain this discrepancy, but have been either ruled out by further experiments or else involve fine-tuning. Building on density-matrix-renormalization group studies of physically realistic edges and analytic calculations of edge structure, we propose an alternative resolution of this puzzle involving an 'edge reconstruction' solely involving the neutral Majorana sector of the theory. Such a Majorana edge reconstruction can "screen'' a Pfaffian or AntiPfaffian bulk, so that transport signatures become indistinguishable from those of the PH-Pfaffian. We argue that this physically natural scenario is consistent with experiment.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_07161
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Majorana edge reconstruction and the $ν=5/2$ non-Abelian thermal Hall puzzle
Lotrič, Tevž
Wang, Taige
Zaletel, Michael P.
Simon, Steven H.
Parameswaran, S. A.
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Pioneering thermal transport measurements on two-dimensional electron gases in high magnetic fields have demonstrated that the quantized Hall state at filling factor $ν=5/2$ has a thermal Hall conductance $κ$ quantized in half-integer multiples of $κ_0 = {π^2 k_B^2 T}/{3h}$. Half-integer $κ/κ_0$ is a signature of neutral Majorana edge modes, in turn linked to the presence of non-Abelian anyon excitations in the bulk. However, the experimentally observed value of $κ$ corresponds to the 'PH-Pfaffian' state, in tension with numerical studies which instead favor either the Pfaffian or the AntiPfaffian. A variety of mechanisms have been invoked to explain this discrepancy, but have been either ruled out by further experiments or else involve fine-tuning. Building on density-matrix-renormalization group studies of physically realistic edges and analytic calculations of edge structure, we propose an alternative resolution of this puzzle involving an 'edge reconstruction' solely involving the neutral Majorana sector of the theory. Such a Majorana edge reconstruction can "screen'' a Pfaffian or AntiPfaffian bulk, so that transport signatures become indistinguishable from those of the PH-Pfaffian. We argue that this physically natural scenario is consistent with experiment.
title Majorana edge reconstruction and the $ν=5/2$ non-Abelian thermal Hall puzzle
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.07161