Spin-texture and magneto-roton excitations at nu=1/3

Abstract

Neutral spin texture ST excitations at nu=1/3 are directly observed for the first time by resonant inelastic light scattering. They are determined to involve two simultaneous spin- flips. At low magnetic fields, the ST energy is below that of the magneto-roton minimum. With increasing in-plane magnetic field these modes energies cross at a critical ratio of the Zeeman and Coulomb energies of eta_c=0.020 +- 0.001. Surprisingly, the intensity of the ST mode grows with temperature in the range in which the magneto-roton modes collapse. The temperature dependence is interpreted in terms of a competition between coexisting phases supporting different excitations. We consider the role of the ST excitations in activated transport at nu=1/3.

5 pages, 4 color figs