Quantum fluctuations and unlocking of quantum Hall stripes

Stripe ordering is believed to exist in quantum Hall systems in weak magnetic fields, where many Landau levels are occupied. Within mean-field theory such unidirectional CDW states are unstable to the formation of a set of parallel one-dimensional electron crystals that are locked into a two-dimensional crystal by their mutual interactions. Quantum fluctuations are shown to destabilize this state through a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. The resulting state may be interpreted as a Wigner crystal with mobile vacancies and interstitials included in the groundstate. The expected transport properties are in qualitative agreement with recent experiments.