Edge channel mixing induced by potential steps in an integer quantum Hall system

D. Venturelli, V. Giovannetti, F. Taddei, R. Fazio, D. Feinberg, G. Usaj, C. A. Balseiro

Published 2010-08-11, updated 2011-02-28Version 2

We investigate the coherent mixing of co-propagating edge channels in a quantum Hall bar produced by step potentials. In the case of two edge channels it is found that, although a single step induces only a few percent mixing, a series of steps could yield 50% mixing. In addition, a strong mixing is found when the potential height of a single step allows a different number of edge channels on the two sides of the step. Charge density probability has been also calculated even for the case where the step is smoothened.