The Quantum Hall Effect: Novel Excitations and Broken Symmetries

Abstract

These pedagogical lecture notes present a general introduction to most aspects of the integer and fractional quantum Hall effects. This is followed by an extensive discussion of quantum Hall ferromagnetism, both for spins in single-layer systems and `pseudospins' in double-layer systems. The effective field theories describing various broken symmetry states and `skyrmion' and `meron' spin textures are derived and discussed in some detail. Pedagogical presentations on Berry phases and lowest Landau level projection are included in appendices.