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P. W. Brouwer

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

89 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Fluctuating "order parameter" for a quantum chaotic system with partially broken time-reversal symmetry

The functional defined as the squared modulus of the spatial average of the wave function squared, plays the role of an ``order parameter'' for the transition between Hamiltonian ensembles with orthogonal and unitary symmetry. Upon breaking time-reversal symmetry, the order parameter crosses over from one to zero. We compute its distribution in the crossover regime and find that it has large fluctuations around the ensemble average. These fluctuations imply long-range spatial correlations in the eigenfunction and non-Gaussian perturbations of eigenvalues, in precise agreement with results by Fal'ko and Efetov and by Taniguchi, Hashimoto, Simons, and Altshuler. As a third implication of the order-parameter fluctuations we find correlations in the response of an eigenvalue to independent perturbations of the system.

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Brightness of a phase-conjugating mirror behind a random medium

A random-matrix theory is presented for the reflection of light by a disordered medium backed by a phase-conjugating mirror. Two regimes are distinguished, depending on the relative magnitude of the inverse dwell time of a photon in the disordered medium and the frequency shift acquired at the mirror. The qualitatively different dependence of the reflectance on the degree of disorder in the two regimes suggests a distinctive experimental test for cancellation of phase shifts in a random medium.

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Phase-dependent magnetoconductance fluctuations in a chaotic Josephson junction

Motivated by recent experiments by Den Hartog et al., we present a random-matrix theory for the magnetoconductance fluctuations of a chaotic quantum dot which is coupled by point contacts to two superconductors and one or two normal metals. There are aperiodic conductance fluctuations as a function of the magnetic field through the quantum dot and $2π$-periodic fluctuations as a function of the phase difference $ϕ$ of the superconductors. If the coupling to the superconductors is weak compared to the coupling to the normal metals, the $ϕ$-dependence of the conductance is harmonic, as observed in the experiment. In the opposite regime, the conductance becomes a random $2π$-periodic function of $ϕ$, in agreement with the theory of Altshuler and Spivak. The theoretical method employs an extension of the circular ensemble which can describe the magnetic field dependence of the scattering matrix.

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Superconductor-proximity effect in chaotic and integrable billiards

We explore the effects of the proximity to a superconductor on the level density of a billiard for the two extreme cases that the classical motion in the billiard is chaotic or integrable. In zero magnetic field and for a uniform phase in the superconductor, a chaotic billiard has an excitation gap equal to the Thouless energy. In contrast, an integrable (rectangular or circular) billiard has a reduced density of states near the Fermi level, but no gap. We present numerical calculations for both cases in support of our analytical results. For the chaotic case, we calculate how the gap closes as a function of magnetic field or phase difference.

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Induced superconductivity distinguishes chaotic from integrable billiards

Random-matrix theory is used to show that the proximity to a superconductor opens a gap in the excitation spectrum of an electron gas confined to a billiard with a chaotic classical dynamics. In contrast, a gapless spectrum is obtained for a non-chaotic rectangular billiard, and it is argued that this is generic for integrable systems.

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Effect of the coupling to a superconductor on the level statistics of a metal grain in a magnetic field

A theory is presented for the statistics of the excitation spectrum of a disordered metal grain in contact with a superconductor. A magnetic field is applied to fully break time-reversal symmetry in the grain. Still, an excitation gap of the order of $δ$ opens up provided $NΓ^2\gtrsim 1$. Here $δ$ is the mean level spacing in the grain, $Γ$ the tunnel probability through the contact with the superconductor, and $N$ the number of transverse modes in the contact region. This provides a microscopic justification for the new random-matrix ensemble of Altland and Zirnbauer.

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Probability of Reflection by a Random Laser

A theory is presented (and supported by numerical simulations) for phase-coherent reflection of light by a disordered medium which either absorbs or amplifies radiation. The distribution of reflection eigenvalues is shown to be the Laguerre ensemble of random-matrix theory. The statistical fluctuations of the albedo (the ratio of reflected and incident power) are computed for arbitrary ratio of sample thickness, mean free path, and absorption or amplification length. On approaching the laser threshold all moments of the distribution of the albedo diverge. Its modal value remains finite, however, and acquires an anomalous dependence on the illuminated surface area.

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Non-perturbative calculation of the probability distribution of plane-wave transmission through a disordered waveguide

A non-perturbative random-matrix theory is applied to the transmission of a monochromatic scalar wave through a disordered waveguide. The probability distributions of the transmittances T_{mn} and T_n=\sum_m T_{mn} of an incident mode n are calculated in the thick-waveguide limit, for broken time-reversal symmetry. A crossover occurs from Rayleigh or Gaussian statistics in the diffusive regime to lognormal statistics in the localized regime. A qualitatively different crossover occurs if the disordered region is replaced by a chaotic cavity. ***Submitted to Physical Review E.***

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Quantum Transport in Disordered Wires: Equivalence of One-Dimensional Sigma Model and Dorokhov-Mello-Pereyra-Kumar Equation

The two known non-perturbative theories of localization in disordered wires, the Fokker-Planck approach due to Dorokhov, Mello, Pereyra, and Kumar, and the field-theoretic approach due to Efetov and Larkin, are shown to be equivalent for all symmetry classes. The equivalence had been questioned as a result of field-theoretic calculations of the average conductance by Zirnbauer [PRL 69, 1584 (1992)], which disagreed with the Fokker-Planck approach in the symplectic symmetry class. We resolve this controversy by pointing to an incorrect implementation of Kramers degeneracy in these calculations, and we derive modified expressions for the first two conductance moments which agree well with existing numerical simulations from the metallic into the localized regime. ***Submitted to Physical Review B.***

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Insensitivity to Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking of Universal Conductance Fluctuations with Andreev Reflection

Numerical simulations of conduction through a disordered microbridge between a normal metal and a superconductor have revealed an anomalous insensitivity of the conductance fluctuations to a magnetic field. A theory for the anomaly is presented: Both an exact analytical calculation (using random-matrix theory) and a qualitative symmetry argument (involving the exchange of time-reversal for reflection symmetry).

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Weak Localization Coexisting with a Magnetic Field in a Normal-Metal--Superconductor Microbridge

A random-matrix theory is presented which shows that breaking time-reversal symmetry by itself does {\em not} suppress the weak-localization correction to the conductance of a disordered metal wire attached to a superconductor. Suppression of weak localization requires applying a magnetic field as well as raising the voltage, to break both time-reversal symmetry and electron-hole degeneracy. A magnetic-field dependent contact resistance obscured this anomaly in previous numerical simulations.

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GENERALIZED CIRCULAR ENSEMBLE OF SCATTERING MATRICES FOR A CHAOTIC CAVITY WITH NON-IDEAL LEADS

We consider the problem of the statistics of the scattering matrix S of a chaotic cavity (quantum dot), which is coupled to the outside world by non-ideal leads containing N scattering channels. The Hamiltonian H of the quantum dot is assumed to be an M x N hermitian matrix with probability distribution P(H) ~ det[lambda^2 + (H - epsilon)^2]^[-(beta M + 2- beta)/2], where lambda and epsilon are arbitrary coefficients and beta = 1,2,4 depending on the presence or absence of time-reversal and spin-rotation symmetry. We show that this ``Lorentzian ensemble'' agrees with microscopic theory for an ensemble of disordered metal particles in the limit M -> infinity, and that for any M >= N it implies P(S) ~ |det(1 - \bar S^{\dagger} S)|^[-(beta M + 2 - beta)], where \bar S is the ensemble average of S. This ``Poisson kernel'' generalizes Dyson's circular ensemble to the case \bar S \neq 0 and was previously obtained from a maximum entropy approach. The present work gives a microscopic justification for the case that the chaotic motion in the quantum dot is due to impurity scattering.

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Giant Backscattering Peak in Angle-Resolved Andreev Reflection

It is shown analytically and by numerical simulation that the angular distribution of Andreev reflection by a disordered normal-metal -- superconductor junction has a narrow peak at the angle of incidence. The peak is higher than the well-known coherent backscattering peak in the normal state, by a large factor G/G_0 (where G is the conductance of the junction and G_0=2e^2/h). The enhanced backscattering can be detected by means of ballistic point contacts.

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Effect of a Voltage Probe on the Phase-Coherent Conductance of a Ballistic Chaotic Cavity

The effect of an invasive voltage probe on the phase-coherent conduction through a ballistic chaotic cavity is investigated by random-matrix theory. The entire distribution P(G) of the conductance G is computed for the case that the cavity is coupled to source and drain by two point contacts with a quantized conductance of 2 e^2/h, both in the presence (beta = 1) and absence (beta = 2) of time-reversal symmetry. The loss of phase-coherence induced by the voltage probe causes a crossover from P(G) ~ G^(-1 + beta/2) to a Gaussian centered at G = e^2/h with a beta-dependent width. ***Submitted to Physical Review B.***

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Low-Temperature Behavior of the Large-U Hubbard Model from High-Temperature Expansions

We derive low-temperature properties of the large-U Hubbard model in two and three dimensions from exact series-expansion results for high temperatures. Convergence problems and limited available information prevent a direct or Pade'-type extrapolation. We propose a new method of extrapolation, which is restricted to large U and low hole densities, for which the problem can be mapped on that of a system of weakly interacting holes. In the new formulation an extrapolation down to T=0 can be obtained, but it can be trusted for the presently available series data for kT/t < 0.05 and for hole densities below 0.2 only. Implications for the magnetic phase diagram are discussed.

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Conductance Distribution of a Quantum Dot with Non-Ideal Single-Channel Leads

We have computed the probability distribution of the conductance of a ballistic and chaotic cavity which is connected to two electron reservoirs by leads with a single propagating mode, for arbitrary values of the transmission probability Gamma of the mode, and for all three values of the symmetry index beta. The theory bridges the gap between previous work on ballistic leads (Gamma = 1) and on tunneling point contacts (Gamma << 1). We find that the beta-dependence of the distribution changes drastically in the crossover from the tunneling to the ballistic regime. This is relevant for experiments, which are usually in this crossover regime. ***Submitted to Physical Review B.***

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