Localization of Fractionally Charged Quasi-Particles
Jens Martin,1*
Shahal Ilani,1
Basile Verdene,1
Jurgen Smet,2
Vladimir Umansky,1
Diana Mahalu,1
Dieter Schuh,3
Gerhard Abstreiter,3
Amir Yacoby1
An outstanding question pertaining to the microscopic properties
of the fractional quantum Hall effect is understanding the nature
of the particles that participate in the localization but that
do not contribute to electronic transport. By using a scanning
single electron transistor, we imaged the individual localized
states in the fractional quantum Hall regime and determined
the charge of the localizing particles. Highlighting the symmetry
between filling factors 1/3 and 2/3, our measurements show that
quasi-particles with fractional charge
e* =
e/3 localize in
space to submicrometer dimensions, where
e is the electron charge.
2 Max-Planck Institut für Festkörperforschung, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
3 Walter-Schottky Institut, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching, Germany.
Present address: Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jens.martin{at}weizmann.ac.il
