# Direct observation of a fractional charge

@article{dePicciotto1997DirectOO,
title={Direct observation of a fractional charge},
author={R. de-Picciotto and M. Reznikov and Moty Heiblum and Vladimir I. Umansky and Gregory Bunin and Diana Mahalu},
journal={Nature},
year={1997},
volume={389},
pages={162-164}
}
Since Millikan's famous oil-drop experiments, it has been well known that electrical charge is quantized in units of the charge of an electron, e. For this reason, the theoretical prediction, by Laughlin of the existence of fractionally charged ‘quasiparticles’—proposed as an explanation for the fractional quantum Hall (FQH) effect—is very counterintuitive. The FQH effect is a phenomenon observed in the conduction properties of a two-dimensional electron gas subjected to a strong perpendicular… Expand
517 Citations

#### Paper Mentions

Observation of quasiparticles with one-fifth of an electron's charge
• Physics
• Nature
• 1999
The fractional quantum Hall effect occurs in the conduction properties of a two-dimensional electron gas subjected to a strong perpendicular magnetic field. In this regime, the Hall conductance showsExpand
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• Physics, Medicine
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• 2008
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The validation of FQHE PASN models indicates a path toward realizing time-resolved anyon sources based on levitons, and the long-predicted Josephson relation fJ = e*V/h for charges e* = e/3 and e/5, where e is the charge of the electron and h is Planck’s constant. Expand
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• 2005
In two dimensions, the laws of physics permit existence of anyons, particles with fractional statistics which is neither Fermi nor Bose. That is, upon exchange of two such particles, the quantumExpand
Fractional charges in emergent neutral modes at the integer quantum Hall effect
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The charge of the quasiparticles was measured as they tunneled through a narrow constriction embedded in a fractional quantum Hall (FQH) liquid. The determination of the charge was made via detailedExpand
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• 2012
Interference of fractionally charged quasiparticles is expected to lead to Aharonov-Bohm oscillations with periods larger than the flux quantum. However, according to the Byers-Yang theorem,Expand
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Although the unit of charge in nature is a fundamental constant, the charge of individual quasiparticles in some low-dimensional systems may be fractionalized. Quantum one-dimensional (1D) systems,Expand
Zero-Magnetic Field Fractional Quantum States.
It is shown that odd and even denominator fractions can be observed, and manipulated, in the absence of a quantizing magnetic field, when a low-density electron system in a GaAs based one-dimensional quantum wire is allowed to relax in the second dimension. Expand

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