ELECTRON-PHONON SCATTERING IN STRONG MAGNETIC-FIELDS AND THE TEMPERATURE SCALING BETWEEN QUANTUM HALL PLATEAUS

The electron-phonon scattering rate is calculated in a strong magnetic field for a two-dimensional electron gas moving in a smooth random po tential within the framework of semiclassical approximation. This inel astic scattering rate is strongly influenced by the strong magnetic fi eld and is found to be linear in temperature for a wide range of tempe ratures, corresponding to an effective reduction of the Debye temperat ure. Applying this result to the temperature scaling exponent kappa fo r the width of the transition region between quantum Hall effect plate aus, we argue that kappa = 3/7 is dictated by the inelastic scattering rate and the percolation length, instead of the localization length.