Relevance of Multiple Quasiparticle Tunneling between Edge States at nu = p/(2np+1)

We present an explanation for the anomalous behavior in tunneling conductance and noise through a point contact between edge states in the Jain series nu = p/(2np + 1), for extremely weak backscattering and low temperatures [Y.C. Chung, M. Heiblum, and V. Umansky, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 216804 (2003)]. We consider edge states with neutral modes propagating at finite velocity, and we show that the activation of their dynamics causes the unexpected change in the temperature power law of the conductance. Even more importantly, we demonstrate that multiple-quasiparticle tunneling at low energies becomes the most relevant process. This result will be used to explain the experimental data on current noise where tunneling particles have a charge that can reach p times the single-quasiparticle charge. In this Letter, we analyze the conductance and the shot noise to substantiate quantitatively the proposed scenario.