Nonlocal Aharonov–Bohm conductance oscillations in an asymmetric quantum ring

Abstract

We investigate ballistic transport and quantum interference in a nanoscale quantum wire loop fabricated as a GaAs/AlGaAs field-effect heterostructure. Four-terminal measurements of current and voltage characteristics as a function of top gate voltages show negative bend resistance as a clear signature of ballistic transport. In perpendicular magnetic fields, phase-coherent transport leads to Aharonov–Bohm conductance oscillations, which show equal amplitudes in the local and the nonlocal measurement at a temperature of 1.5 K and above. We attribute this observation to the symmetry of the orthogonal cross junctions connecting the four quantum wire leads with the asymmetric quantum wire ring.