Finite Temperature Density Instability at High Landau Level Occupancy

Abstract

We study here the onset of charge density wave instabilities in quantum Hall systems at finite temperature for Landau level filling $\nu>4$. Specific emphasis is placed on the role of disorder as well as an in-plane magnetic field. Beyond some critical value, disorder is observed to suppress the charge density wave melting temperature to zero. In addition, we find that a transition from perpendicular to parallel stripes (relative to the in-plane magnetic field) exists when the electron gas thickness exceeds $\approx 60$\AA. The perpendicular alignment of the stripes is in agreement with the experimental finding that the easy conduction direction is perpendicular to the in-plane field.