arXiv subjects

P. W. Brouwer

Publications and source records attributed to P. W. Brouwer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Demonstration of one-parameter scaling at the Dirac point in graphene

We numerically calculate the conductivity $σ$ of an undoped graphene sheet (size $L$) in the limit of vanishingly small lattice constant. We demonstrate one-parameter scaling for random impurity scattering and determine the scaling function $β(σ)=d\lnσ/d\ln L$. Contrary to a recent prediction, the scaling flow has no fixed point ($β>0$) for conductivities up to and beyond the symplectic metal-insulator transition. Instead, the data supports an alternative scaling flow for which the conductivity at the Dirac point increases logarithmically with sample size in the absence of intervalley scattering -- without reaching a scale-invariant limit.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Voltage-probe and imaginary potential models for dephasing in a chaotic quantum dot

We compare two widely used models for dephasing in a chaotic quantum dot: The introduction of a fictitious voltage probe into the scattering matrix and the addition of an imaginary potential to the Hamiltonian. We identify the limit in which the two models are equivalent and compute the distribution of the conductance in that limit. Our analysis explains why previous treatments of dephasing gave different results. The distribution remains non-Gaussian for strong dephasing if the coupling of the quantum dot to the electron reservoirs is via ballistic single-mode point contacts, but becomes Gaussian if the coupling is via tunneling contacts.

cond-mat↗

arXiv2006

Multiple crossovers in interacting quantum wires

We study tunneling of electrons into and between interacting wires in the spin-incoherent regime subject to a magnetic field. The tunneling currents follow power laws of the applied voltage with exponents that depend on whether the electron spins at the relevant length scales are polarized or disordered. The crossover length (or energy) scale is exponential in the applied field. In a finite size wire multiple crossovers can occur.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Interference as a Probe of Spin Incoherence in Strongly Interacting Quantum Wires

We show that interference experiments can be used to identify the spin-incoherent regime of strongly interacting one-dimensional conductors. Two qualitative signatures of spin-incoherence are found: a strong magnetic field dependence of the interference contrast and an anomalous scaling of the interference contrast with the applied voltage, with a temperature and magnetic field dependent scaling exponent. The experiments distinguish the spin-incoherent from the spin-polarized regime, and so may be useful in deciding between alternative explanations proposed for the anomalous conductance quantization observed in quantum point contacts and quantum wires at low density.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Disorder-induced critical phenomena--new universality classes in Anderson localization

The Anderson metal-insulator transition is a continuous phase transition driven by disorder. It remains a challenging problem to theoretically determine universal critical properties at the transition. The Anderson transition in a model with a discrete sublattice or particle-hole symmetry belongs to one of seven universality classes which are different from the three well-known standard ones. Here we review our recent theoretical work on these new universality classes in (quasi) one and two dimensions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2005

Shot noise free conductance reduction in quantum wires

We show that a shot noise free current at conductance below 2 e^2/h is possible in short interacting quantum wires without spin-polarization. Our calculation is done for two exactly solvable limits of the ``Coulomb Tonks gas'', a one-dimensional gas of impenetrable electrons that can be realized in ultra-thin quantum wires. In both cases we find that charge transport through such a wire is noiseless at zero temperature while the conductance is reduced to e^2/h.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2004

Anomalous temperature dependence of the supercurrent through a chaotic Josephson junction

We calculate the supercurrent through a Josephson junction consisting of a phase-coherent metal particle (quantum dot), weakly coupled to two superconductors. The classical motion in the quantum dot is assumed to be chaotic on time scales greater than the ergodic time $τ_{erg}$, which itself is much smaller than the mean dwell time $τ_{dwell}$. The excitation spectrum of the Josephson junction has a gap $E_{gap}$, which can be less than the gap $Δ$ in the bulk superconductors. The average supercurrent is computed in the ergodic regime $τ_{erg} \ll \hbar/Δ$, using random-matrix theory, and in the non-ergodic regime $τ_{erg} \gg \hbar/Δ$, using a semiclassical relation between the supercurrent and dwell-time distribution. In contrast to conventional Josephson junctions, raising the temperature above the excitation gap does not necessarily lead to an exponential suppression of the supercurrent. Instead, we find a temperature regime between $E_{gap}$ and $Δ$ where the supercurrent decreases logarithmically with temperature. This anomalously weak temperature dependence is caused by long-range correlations in the excitation spectrum, which extend over an energy range $\hbar/τ_{erg}$ greater than $E_{gap} \simeq \hbar/τ_{dwell}$. A similar logarithmic temperature dependence of the supercurrent was discovered by Aslamazov, Larkin, and Ovchinnikov, in a Josephson junction consisting of a disordered metal between two tunnel barriers.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2004

Measurement of long-range wavefunction correlations in an open microwave billiard

We investigate the statistical properties of wavefunctions in an open chaotic cavity. When the number of channels in the openings of the billiard is increased by varying the frequency, wavefunctions cross over from real to complex. The distribution of the phase rigidity, which characterizes the degree to which a wavefunction is complex, and long-range correlations of intensity and current density are studied as a function of the number of channels in the openings. All measured quantities are in perfect agreement with theoretical predictions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2004

Exponential sensitivity to dephasing of electrical conduction through a quantum dot

According to random-matrix theory, interference effects in the conductance of a ballistic chaotic quantum dot should vanish $\propto(τ_ϕ/τ_{D})^{p}$ when the dephasing time $τ_ϕ$ becomes small compared to the mean dwell time $τ_{D}$. Aleiner and Larkin have predicted that the power law crosses over to an exponential suppression $\propto\exp(-τ_{E}/τ_ϕ)$ when $τ_ϕ$ drops below the Ehrenfest time $τ_{E}$. We report the first observation of this crossover in a computer simulation of universal conductance fluctuations. Their theory also predicts an exponential suppression $\propto\exp(-τ_{E}/τ_{D})$ in the absence of dephasing -- which is not observed. We show that the effective random-matrix theory proposed previously for quantum dots without dephasing explains both observations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Current-induced transverse spin wave instability in a thin nanomagnet

We show that an unpolarized electric current incident perpendicular to the plane of a thin ferromagnet can excite a spin-wave instability transverse to the current direction if source and drain contacts are not symmetric. The instability, which is driven by the current-induced ``spin-transfer torque'', exists for one current direction only.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Wavefunction statistics in open chaotic billiards

We study the statistical properties of wavefunctions in a chaotic billiard that is opened up to the outside world. Upon increasing the openings, the billiard wavefunctions cross over from real to complex. Each wavefunction is characterized by a phase rigidity, which is itself a fluctuating quantity. We calculate the probability distribution of the phase rigidity and discuss how phase rigidity fluctuations cause long-range correlations of intensity and current density. We also find that phase rigidities for wavefunctions with different incoming wave boundary conditions are statistically correlated.

nlin.CD↗

arXiv2003

Universality of delocalization in unconventional dirty superconducting wires with broken spin-rotation symmetry

In dirty superconducting wires, quasiparticle states at the Fermi level need not be exponentially localized if spin-rotation symmetry is broken [Brouwer {\em et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 85}, 1064 (2000)]. Here we present evidence that not-localized states are generic in the thick-wire limit, while for wires of finite thickness delocalization requires fine tuning of the disorder, consistent with earlier results of Motrunich {\em et al.} [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 63}, 224204 (2001)]. The thick-wire limit is defined as the simultaneous limit where the length $L$ of the wire and the number $N$ of propagating channels at the Fermi energy are both taken to infinity with their ratio held fixed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Crossover from weak localization to weak antilocalization in a disordered microbridge

We calculate the weak localization correction in the double crossover to broken time-reversal and spin-rotational symmetry for a disordered microbridge or a short disordered wire using a scattering-matrix approach. Whereas the correction has universal limiting values in the three basic symmetry classes, the functional form of the magnetoconductance is affected by eventual non-homogeneities in the microbridge.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Magnetic-field dependence of energy levels in ultrasmall metal grains

We present a theory of mesoscopic fluctuations of g tensors and avoided crossing energies in a small metal grain. The model, based on random matrix theory, contains both the orbital and spin contributions to the g tensor. The two contributions can be experimentally separated for weak spin-orbit coupling while they merge in the strong coupling limit. For intermediate coupling, substantial correlations are found between g factors of neighboring levels.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Noise through Quantum Pumps

We study the current noise through an unbiased quantum electron pump and its mesoscopic fluctuations for arbitrary temperatures and beyond the bilinear response. In the bilinear regime, we find the full distributions of the noise power and the current-to-noise ratio for a chaotic quantum dots with single-channel and many-channel ballistic point contacts. For a dot with many-channel point contacts we also calculate the ensemble-averaged noise at arbitrary temperature and pumping strength. In the limit of strong pumping, a new temperature scale appears that corresponds to the broadening of the electron distribution function in the dot as a result of the time-dependent perturbations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Zero-modes in the random hopping model

If the number of lattice sites is odd, a quantum particle hopping on a bipartite lattice with random hopping between the two sublattices only is guaranteed to have an eigenstate at zero energy. We show that the localization length of this eigenstate depends strongly on the boundaries of the lattice, and can take values anywhere between the mean free path and infinity. The same dependence on boundary conditions is seen in the conductance of such a lattice if it is connected to electron reservoirs via narrow leads. For any nonzero energy, the dependence on boundary conditions is removed for sufficiently large system sizes.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2001

Quantum Effects in Coulomb Blockade

We review the quantum interference effects in a system of interacting electrons confined to a quantum dot. The review starts with a description of an isolated quantum dot. We discuss the status of the Random Matrix theory (RMT) of the one-electron states in the dot, present the universal form of the interaction Hamiltonian compatible with the RMT, and derive the leading corrections to the universal interaction Hamiltonian. Next, we discuss a theoretical description of a dot connected to leads via point contacts. Having established the theoretical framework to describe such an open system, we discuss its transport and thermodynamic properties. We review the evolution of the transport properties with the increase of the contact conductances from small values to values $\sim e^2/π\hbar$. In the discussion of transport, the emphasis is put on mesoscopic fluctuations and the Kondo effect in the conductance.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2001

Weak localization and conductance fluctuations of a chaotic quantum dot with tunable spin-orbit coupling

In a two-dimensional quantum dot in a GaAs heterostructure, the spin-orbit scattering rate is substantially reduced below the rate in a bulk two-dimensional electron gas [B.I. Halperin et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 2106 (2001)]. Such a reduction can be undone if the spin-orbit coupling parameters acquire a spatial dependence, which can be achieved, e.g., by a metal gate covering only a part of the quantum dot. We calculate the effect of such spatially non-uniform spin-orbit scattering on the weak localization correction and the universal conductance fluctuations of a chaotic quantum dot coupled to electron reservoirs by ballistic point contacts, in the presence of a magnetic field parallel to the plane of the quantum dot.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗