Revisiting the Physics of Hole-Conjugate Fractional Quantum Hall Channels

Abstract

We revisit the physics of hole-conjugate Fractional Quantum Hall (FQH) phases characterized by counter-propagating edge channels at filling factors above 1/2. We propose a minimal and intuitive model that successfully accounts for all experimentally observed features, introducing a paradigm shift in the understanding of hole-conjugate edge channel dynamics. Our model identifies inter-channel charge equilibration as the sole essential mechanism, eliminating the need to invoke charge modes or upstream neutral modes, as posited in prior theoretical frameworks. By incorporating fictitious reservoirs along the edge, the model qualitatively and quantitatively reproduces key observations, including counterintuitive upstream effects previously misattributed to neutral modes. We provide predictions for electrical and thermal conductance as well as current noise for filling factors 2/3 and 3/5. Additionally, we address the case of non-dissipative reservoirs, which preserve conductance properties while exhibiting infinite thermal relaxation lengths