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Assignment 8
Dated: 06/11/2020

Quantum Hall Conductivity

~ = Bxŷ
Remember the Hamiltonian of 2D electron gas, under a magnetic field, characterized by the vector potential A
was given by
"  2 #
1 2 2 2 ~ky
H= −~ ∂x + (eB) x + (1)
2m eB

If the solutions of this time-independent Schroedinger equation are χn,ky (x), where n are the Landau levels, then the
net solution of 2D electron’s wave-functions are ψn,ky (x, y) = eiky y χn,ky (x).

~ = E x̂. Show that the modified Hamiltonian is again a harmonic oscillator Hamil-
1. Introduce an electric field E
tonian of the form:
1 h 2 2 2
i
H= −~ ∂x + (eB)2 (x + x0 ) + C(ky , E, B). (2)
2m
Determine x0 . C is a constant independent of x.

2. Convince yourself that hχn,ky |x|χn,ky i = −x0 , and hχn,ky |∂x |χn,ky i = 0.
3. The current operator in presence of the vector potential is given by
ˆ e
I~ = − (−i∇
~ + eA).
~ (3)
m
Consider the system has ν number of Landau levels filled by electrons in the ground-state. Then the expectation
of the current operator in the ground-state will be given by

~ˆ n,k i.
X X
I~ = hψn,ky |I|ψ y (4)
n∈filled ky

Here total number of possible ky value is given by φ/φ0 (see lecture note).
e2
4. Show that Jx = 0 and Jy = h νE. Here J = I/A, A is the area. This implies σxx = 0 and σxy = e2 ν/h.