Particle-Hole Symmetry and the<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>ν</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mfrac><mml:mn>5</mml:mn><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mfrac></mml:math>Quantum Hall State

We discuss the implications of approximate particle-hole symmetry in a half-filled Landau level in which a paired quantum Hall state forms. We note that the Pfaffian state is not particle-hole symmetric. Therefore, in the limit of vanishing Landau-level mixing, in which particle-hole transformation is an exact symmetry, the Pfaffian spontaneously breaks this symmetry. There is a particle-hole conjugate state, which we call the anti-Pfaffian, which is degenerate with the Pfaffian in this limit. We observe that strong Landau-level mixing should favor the Pfaffian, but it is an open problem which state is favored for the moderate Landau-level mixing which is present in experiments. We discuss the bulk and edge physics of the anti-Pfaffian. We analyze a simplified model in which transitions between analogs of the two states can be studied in detail. Finally, we discuss experimental implications.