We present a microscopic theory for the recently observed reentrant integer quantum Hall effect in the $n=1\mathrm{}$ and $n=2\mathrm{}$ Landau levels. Our energy investigations indicate an alternating sequence of M-electron-bubble and quantum-liquid ground states in a certain range of the partial filling factor of the $n\mathrm{th}$ level. Whereas the quantum-liquid states display the fractional quantum Hall effect, the bubble phases are insulating, and the Hall resistance is thus quantized at integral values of the total filling factor.

• Received 10 September 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.68.241302