Dynamical conductivity of disordered quantum Hall stripes

Abstract

We present a detailed theory for finite-frequency conductivities Re[sigma(alpha beta)(omega)] of quantum Hall stripes, which form at Landau level N >= 2 close to half-filling, in the presence of weak Gaussian disorder. We use an effective elastic theory to describe the low-energy dynamics of the stripes with the dynamical matrix being determined through matching the density-density correlation function obtained in the microscopic time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation. We then apply replicas and the Gaussian variational method to deal with the disorder. Within this method, a set of saddle point equations for the retarded self-energies are obtained, which are solved numerically to get Re[sigma(alpha beta)(omega)]. We find a quantum depinning transition as Delta nu, the fractional part of the filling factor, approaches a critical value Delta nu(c) from below. For Delta nu <Delta nu(c), the pinned state is realized in a replica symmetry breaking (RSB) solution, and the frequency-dependent conductivities in both the directions perpendicular and parallel to the stripes show resonant peaks. These peaks shift to zero frequency as Delta nu ->Delta nu(c). For Delta nu >=Delta nu(c), we find a partial RSB solution in which there is RSB perpendicular to the stripes, but replica symmetry along the stripes, leading to free sliding along the stripe direction. The quantum depinning transition is in the Kosterlitz-Thouless universality class. The result is consistent with a previous renormalization group analysis.