Microscopic model for the boson integer quantum Hall effect

Abstract

In two dimensions strongly interacting bosons in a magnetic field can form an integer quantum Hall state. This state has a bulk gap, no fractional charges or topological order in the bulk, but nevertheless quantized Hall transport and symmetry-protected edge excitations. Here we study a simple microscopic model for such a state in a system of two-component bosons in a strong orbital magnetic field. We show through exact-diagonalization calculations that the model supports the boson integer quantum Hall ground state in a range of parameters.