Spin fractionalization at the edge of quantum Hall fluids induced by bulk quasiparticles

Abstract

We define a measurable spin for the edge of a lowest Landau level and incompressible fractional quantum Hall state in the presence of an Abelian or non-Abelian bulk quasiparticle. We show that this quantity takes a fractional value inherited from the fractional spin of the bulk quasiparticle. We present a geometric picture that does not rely on global symmetries of the wavefunction but is able to treat quasiparticles and edges with different shapes. We study finite-size many-body wavefunctions on the cylinder with circular quasiparticles and straight edges. Our results are supported by matrix-product-state calculations for the Laughlin and the k=3 Read-Rezayi states.