Magneto-Roton Modes in the Ultra Quantum Crystal: Life and Death at Large Magnetic Field

Abstract

The Ultra Quantum Crystal (UQC) phases observed in quasi-one-dimensional conductors of the Bechgaard salts family under magnetic field exhibit both Spin Density Wave order and a Quantized Hall Effect, which may exhibit sign reversals. We examine the case with no sign reversals. Collective modes in the UQC have been shown to have a rich spectrum, with local Magneto-Roton like minima. As the field increases, Magneto-Roton modes, which have minima at quantized wave vectors, merge, or not, in the single particle excitation continuum. In the high field phase, the Hall conductivity at zero temperature is zero; at the transition from the N=1 phase, it has two Magneto-Roton modes, the energies of which increase rapidly with magnetic field. The modes survive until a critical field above which the high field phase looks more like a perfect nesting insulating Spin Density Wave.