Switching noise as a probe of statistics in the fractional quantum Hall effect

Abstract

We propose an experiment to probe the unconventional quantum statistics of quasi-particles in fractional quantum Hall states by measurement of current noise. The geometry we consider is that of a Hall bar where two quantum point contacts introduce two interfering amplitudes for back-scattering. Thermal fluctuations of the number of quasi-particles enclosed between the two point contacts introduce current noise, which reflects the statistics of the quasi-particles. We analyze abelian $\nu=1/q$ states and the non-abelian $\nu=5/2$ state.