Abstract
We study electron decoherence by measuring the temperature dependence of Aharonov–Bohm (AB) magnetoconductance oscillations in quasi-1D rings, etched in a high-mobility GaAs/GaAlAs heterostructure. The oscillation amplitude, which is quantified by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) amplitudes, is influenced both by phase-breaking and by thermal averaging. FFT components of frequency up to six times the fundamental h/ e component are observed and used in the analysis. It is crucial to study not only the h/ e AB amplitude, but also the higher h/ ne components, in order to distinguish the effects of phase-breaking and thermal averaging. For the phase-breaking, it is demonstrated that the damping of the oscillation amplitude is proportional to the length of the interfering paths. For temperatures T from 0.3 to 4 K we find the phase coherence length L φ ∝ T −1. The phase coherence length does also seem to depend on sample geometry. Recently, the T −1 dependence has been predicted theoretically for AB rings by Seelig and Büttiker (Phys. Rev. B 64 (2001) 245313).
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
