Anatomy of protected edges without symmetry

ORAL

Abstract

In this talk, we consider the $\nu = 2/3$ fractional quantum Hall state which has been shown to have protected gapless edge modes even if all symmetries are broken, including charge conservation. Since the edge protection for the 2/3 state exists even when charge conservation is broken, one might expect that there is something fundamentally anomalous about the $\nu = 2/3$ edge beyond the usual U(1) chiral anomaly. In this talk we investigate the anomalous structure of the 2/3-edge state by testing its non-perturbative robustness to a particular type of defect. The defects we consider break charge conservation symmetry and thereby provide insight into the anomalous nature of the 2/3 edge going beyond the U(1) chiral anomaly.

Authors

  • Michael Levin

    University of Chicago

  • Sriram Ganeshan

    University of Maryland, College Park, Condensed Matter Theory Center, University of Maryland College Park