Two-particle interferometry in quantum Hall conductors: from single electrons to anyons

In two-dimensional conductors placed in strong magnetic fields, the quantum Hall effect enables the ballistic propagation of electron beams. Combined with the use of electrostatic gates for the partitioning of electrical currents, the electronic analogs of optical interferometers can be implemented for analyzing electron sources. In particular, using a quantum point contact as an electronic beam-splitter and measuring the output current cross-correlations, one can probe electronic states using two-particle interferometry (also known as Hanbury-Brown and Twiss interferometry). In the fractional quantum Hall regime, these techniques can be adapted to reveal the properties of anyons: their fractional charge and their fractional statistics.