The quantum Hall effect is due to discontinuities in the chemical potential at certain bulk electron densities. It has been conjectured that the resulting edge states in some fractional Hall gaps can have an intricate composite structure which reflects the correlations in the incompressible bulk fluid. We present direct numerical evidence obtained from exact-diagonalization studies in favor of this conjecture. We show that the states on the ν=2/3 fractional quantum Hall edge constitute a two-component system in which a ν=1/3 droplet of holes is contained within a ν=1 droplet of electrons.

• Received 6 June 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.67.2060