678 Ch.

12 Quantum Hall Effect

which looks exactly the same that we had in the absence of the magnetic
field! Why do we consider the present eigenvalue problem as much more
difficult to solve?
The reason is that the components of the velocity operator no longer
commute

(12.22)

The above equation and the two similar ones obtained by cyclic permu-
tation of IC, y and z can be elegantly summarized in

+ x + = --H.
iAe
m2c
(12.23)

+
Though it may look puzzling that “the vector (operator) cannot be
parallel to itself”, in quantum mechanics the situation arises naturally,
and it leads to important consequences. We are reminded of the com-

-
ponents of the angular momentum whose commutation relations can be
summarized like L x L L.

12.2.1 Landau Levels

Motivated by the Hall geometry shown in Fig. 12.1, let us consider the
quantum-mechanical eigenvalue problem of the two-dimensional motion
of an (otherwise free) electron moving in crossed magnetic and elec-
tric fields H = (O,O, H ) and E = (0, E, 0). The electron is confined
to the (z,y) plane. Here we choose to describe the magnetic field in
the so-called Landau gauge with the vector potential A = (-Hy,0,0).
Including the spin degree of freedom, the Hamiltonian (12.18) becomes

Pi
+ eEy + -
2m + p g p B H . (12.24)
2m
Here we have taken care to denote operators by f i x , . . . because the hat-
less quantities p,, . . . will stand for eigenvalues (or expectation values,
whichever may be the case).
The system has the linear dimensions L, and L,. We prescribe
the periodic boundary condition for the 2-direction and assume free
boundaries at y = f L y / 2 .