QUANTUM FERROMAGNETISM AND PHASE-TRANSITIONS IN DOUBLE-LAYER QUANTUM HALL SYSTEMS

Double-layer quantum Hall systems have interesting properties associated with interlayer correlations. At nu = 1/m where m is an odd integer they exhibit spontaneous symmetry breaking equivalent to that of spin 1/2 easy-plane ferromagnets, with the layer degree of freedom playing the role of spin. We explore the rich variety of quantum and finite temperature phase transitions in these systems. In particular, we show that a magnetic field oriented parallel to the layers induces a highly collective commensurate-incommensurate phase transition in the magnetic order.