Vortex Quantum Dynamics of Two Dimensional Lattice Bosons

We study hard-core lattice bosons in a magnetic field near half filling. The bare vortex hopping rate is extracted from exact diagonalizations of square clusters. We deduce a quantum melting of the vortex lattice above vortex density of 6.5x10(-3) per lattice site. The Hall conductivity reverses sign abruptly as the density crosses half filling, where its characteristic temperature scale vanishes. We prove that at precisely half filling, each vortex carries a spin-1/2 quantum number (v spin). Experimental implications of these results are discussed.