Physics 296, Applied Physics 296, QSE 296

Homework #3
Professor: Donhee Ham
Teaching Fellows: Talieh Ghiasi and Sajedeh Pourianejad
Date: October 18th, 2023
Due: October 31st, 2023 in class

Problem 1 (100 pt): Landau levels

⃗ = B0 ẑ. Assume that the

Consider a 2D conductor in the xy plane, subjected to a static magnetic field B
single electron energy dispersion in the 2D conductor assumes a quadratic form with an effective mass m∗ .

⃗ = (−yB0 , 0, 0) to derive the Landau levels and

(a) In Lecture #9, Section B, we used Landau gauge A
to count the degeneracy at each Landau level. Repeat the solution by using the other Landau gauge,
⃗ = (0, xB0 , 0).
A

(b) As Landau levels (energy spectrum) are gauge invariant, you should be able to derive the Landau levels
without using any particular gauge. Consider the kinematic momentum operator (which is gauge invariant)
⃗ = p⃗ + eA.
K ⃗ Do not assume any specific gauge for A;
⃗ all you will need to use is the defining property of A,
⃗
⃗ ⃗ ⃗ †
that is, ∇ × A = B = B0 ẑ. Define two operators a and a :

a ≡ (2eℏB0 )−1/2 (Kx − iKy ) (1)

† −1/2
a ≡ (2eℏB0 ) (Kx + iKy ) (2)

Prove

[a, a† ] = 1 (3)
 
1
H = ℏωc a† a + (4)
2

where H is the single-electron Hamiltonian and ωc is the (angular) cyclotron frequency. From this, you
should be able to see that the problem has become that of a harmonic oscillator, with a and a† being the
ladder operators of the harmonic oscillator. The Landau levels
 
1
ϵu = ℏωc u + (u = 0, 1, 2, 3, ··) (5)
2

⃗ to arrive
then immediately follow. The key point here is that we do not have to use any specific gauge for A
at the Landau level spectrum.

(b′ ) (0 points; i.e., you do not have to do this part) The gauge-independent derivation of the Landau levels
in part (b) does not tell us anything about the degeneracy at each Landau level. And as can be seen from
part (a) and Section B, Lecture #9, the wave functions of these degenerate states are gauge dependent. Here
we will use the symmetric gauge, A ⃗ = (1/2)(−yB0 , xB0 , 0), to look into the corresponding degenerate states.
⃗ ′ ⃗
We define K ≡ p⃗ − eA. Since this is necessarily gauge dependent (can you argue why?), we use K ⃗ ′ with the
symmetric gauge. Define

b = (2eℏB0 )−1/2 (Kx′ + iKy′ ) (6)

† −1/2
b = (2eℏB0 ) (Kx′ − iKy′ ) (7)

Prove [b, b† ] = 1 and [H, b] = [H, b† ] = 0 and hence show that b (or b† ) changes one of the degenerate states
into another degenerate state within a given Landau level (so b and b† act like ladder operators, but they do
not change energy). Using b and b† , construct all the degenerate states explicitly (except the normalization

1
constant) at the 1st Landau level (u = 0) and count the number of degeneracies per unit area. The de-
generacy count here should be consistent with the result obtained from the solutions using the Landau gauge.

(c) Let a static electric field E0 be applied along the y direction on the 2D conductor (this is in addition
to the magnetic field B0 ẑ). Calculate the new single electron energy levels (choosing a proper gauge would
simplify your calculation) and show that the degeneracy of the Landau levels is now lifted. From these
energy levels, calculate the magnitude and direction of the group velocity of an electron at any given state.

Problem 2 (100 pt): Edge states and quantum Hall resistance ρxy

(a) Consider an electron in a 2D conductor, subjected to an electric field E ⃗ and a magnetic field B ⃗ = B0 ẑ.
Show classically that the electron trajectory is a superposition of a cyclotron motion and a linear drift of
the center of the cyclotron motion (we will refer to this center as a guiding center, as is customary). Show
⃗
that the drift velocity of the guiding center is given by |E|/B 0 and the drift direction of the guiding center
⃗ ⃗
is in parallel with E × B. Show that this is consistent with the quantum mechanical calculation of Problem
#1, part (c).

(b) Consider a fully filled Landau level in a 2D conductor subjected to a magnetic field B⃗ = B0 ẑ with no
externally applied electric field and consider the Landau gauge eigen states. Explain the emergence of the
the edge states due to the confinement potential in the boundary of the 2D conductor in conjunction with
the magnetic field.

(c) To the situation of part (b), now let an additional electric field be applied across the 2D conductor.
Discuss how this changes the the individual electron current of each Landau gauge eigenstate throughout
the edge and bulk of the 2D conductor and how the overall current perpendicular to the applied electric field
arises along an edge of the 2D conductor. By direct integration, show that the Hall resistance ρxy for the
electrons filling this Landau level—including both spins up and down—is given by
h
ρxy = (8)
2e2