Spin-Pseudospin Coherence and CP$^{3}$ Skyrmions in Bilayer Quantum Hall Ferromagnets

Abstract

We analyze bilayer quantum Hall ferromagnets, whose underlying symmetry group is SU(4). Spin-pseudospin coherence develops spontaneously when the total electron density is low enough. Quasiparticles are CP^3 skyrmions. One skyrmion induces charge modulations on both of the two layers. At the filling factor$\nu =2/m$ one elementary excitation consists of a pair of skyrmions and its charge is $2e/m$. Recent experimental data due to Sawada et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 80}, 4534 (1998)] support this conclusion.