Ising Ferromagnetism and Domain Morphology in the Fractional Quantum Hall Regime

Abstract

The density driven quantum phase transition between the unpolarized and fully spin polarized ν = 2/3 fractional quantum Hall state is accompanied by hysteresis in accord with 2D Ising ferromagnetism and domain formation. The temporal behavior is reminiscent of the Barkhausen and time-logarithmic magnetic after-effects ubiquitous in familiar ferromagnets. It too suggests domain morphology and, in conjunction with NMR, intricate domain dynamics, which is partly mediated by the contact hyperfine interaction with nuclear spins of the host semiconductor.