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Abstract:

We study charged excitations of the non-Abelian Moore-Read liquid at a filling factor ν=52, allowing for spin depolarization. Using a combination of numerical studies, and taking account of nonzero well widths, we find that at a sufficiently low Zeeman energy it is energetically favorable for charge e/4 quasiholes to bind into Skyrmions of charge e/2. We show that Skyrmion formation is further promoted by disorder, and argue that this can lead to a depolarized ν=52 ground state in realistic experimental situations. We comment on the consequences for the activated transport. © 2010 The American Physical Society.