Theoretical Nanophysics
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Effect of electronic interactions in networks of weakly disordered metallic wires

Christophe Texier (Université Paris-Sud)

14.01.2011 at 10:15 

Quantum interferences of reversed trajectories are responsible for a small contribution to the conductivity, known as the "weak localization correction" (WL). From the experimental point of view, the study of the WL provides an efficient tool in order to probe phase coherence in weakly disordered metals. In practice, the WL is identified through its magnetic field dependence: the conductance of a network made of equivalent rings presents oscillations as a function of the flux with period $h/2e$, known as Al'tshuler-Aronov-Spivak (AAS) oscillations. Due to the non-local nature of quantum transport, these oscillations depend on the precise geometry of the system.

At low temperature, electron-electron interaction provides the dominant mechanism that limits phase coherence and controls the WL. In networks, the decoherence is sensitive to the nontrivial geometry of the system. I will discuss the case of several networks (chains of rings, square networks) and cylinders. I will identified the several length scales characterizing the problem.

Another quantum correction to transport coefficients due to electron-electron interaction is the Altshuler-Aronov correction. Contrary to the WL, this contribution is incoherent, controlled by the thermal length (i.e. the temperature). I will analyze its dependence in a large square network.

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