Excitonic Superfluidity in Quantum Hall Bilayers: The Wisdom of Experience

COFFEE_KLATCH · Invited

Abstract

Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) occurs in Helium liquids where it is responsible for superfluidity and in many metals where pairs of electrons (Cooper pairs) act as bosons and condense giving rise to superconductivity. More recently Bose-Einstein condensation was observed in vapors of weakly interacting alkali metal atoms providing a new window on the quantum behavior of many-interacting particles. I will discuss yet another example of Bose-Einstein condensation which has been discussed in the solid state physics literature for more than 40 years, but has been realized experimentally only recently. The bosons in this case are pairs formed from an electron in one semiconductor quantum well layer and a hole (a missing electron) in a second semiconductor quantum well layer, which combine in a bound state known as an exciton. Many of the properties of excitonic BECs follow from the fact that their number is not quite perfectly conserved, as Einstein had assumed. I will discuss recent experimental results on the properties of semiconductor bilayer exciton BECs and efforts to develop a theory that is able to account for what is seen.

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Authors

  • Dana Dunn

    University of Texas at Arlington, Peoples Friendship University of the Russia, TSAAPT Officer, University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Chemistry, Stephen F. Austin University, Department of Physics, Stephen F. Austin University, Highland Park High School, Dallas, Texas, Lamar High School, Arlington, Texas, Angelo State University, Abilene Christian University, Southern Nazarene University, Texas Tech University, Sam Houston State University, University of Texas at Austin, Cornell University, University of Houston, University of Texas Center for Relativity, Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL), University of North Texas, University of North Texas, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75083, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, UTA High Energy Physics Group, Univ. of Texas, Arlington, USA, KAERI Korea, Changwon National Univ., Korea, Rutgers University, Iowa State University, Rigaku/MSC, Texas Christian University, Dept. of Physics, Changwon National University, Department of Physics, University of North Texas, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Research Center, Philip Morris USA, Harrington Department Bioengineering Arizona State University, Universidad Autonoma de Colima, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Department of Physics, University of Texas, Arlington, Chair, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Dean of Science, University of Texas at Arlington, President, University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, NanoFAB Center and Electrical Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at San Antonio, SEMATECH, University of Texas at Dallas, CINVESTAV Queretaro, Mexico and University of Texas at Dallas, Texas A\&M University, Departamento de F\'isica, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Department of Physics, UT Austin, Physics Department, The University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Tolar High School, Granbury High School