QUANTUM STRIPED PHASE AT THE EDGE OF A MAGNETIC-FIELD-INDUCED WIGNER CRYSTAL

We investigate the state of electrons near the edge of a two-dimensional electron gas in a strong magnetic field when the edge potential varies slowly on the scale of the magnetic length. We find that under certain experimentally realizable conditions, these electons may favor a striped phase, forming an open conducting edge channel. If the filling is low enough to form a Wigner crystal in the bulk, then the edge channel may still be stable under appropriate circumstances. Within a mean-field theory we obtain the phase diagram of the edge electrons and discuss the possibility of the occurrence of an edge melting transition. Experimental consequences are discussed.