Anomalous integer quantum Hall effect in the ballistic regime with quantum point contacts

Abstract

The Hall conductance of a wide two-dimensional electron gas has been measured in a geometry in which two quantum point contacts form controllable current and voltage probes, separated by less than the transport mean free path. Adjustable barriers in the point contacts allow selective population and detection of Landau levels. The quantization of the Hall conductance is determined by the number of quantum channels in the point contacts and is independent of the number of occupied bulk Landau levels. A theoretical description based on the Landauer-B\"uttiker formalism is given.