2020/04/02 by Vincent Sacksteder, Sacksteder, Vincent E.
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall) #Quantum and electron transport phenomena #Surface and Thin Film Phenomena #Theoretical and Computational Physics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2004.00885
openalex publication_date 2020/04/02 · openalex created_date 2020/04/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
When materials are in the diffusive regime, i.e. when the scattering length is less than the sample size, charge transport is mediated by diffusons and cooperons. We argue that these charge carriers are not always spread out throughout the sample, like waves. When the scattering length is smaller than the sample size, diffusons and cooperons follow trajectories inside the sample which have an effective width determined by the scattering length. The net effect is particle-like motion. We discuss three experiments whose results confirm the existence of cooperons following particle-like trajectories. One experiment, with magnetic field perpendicular to a topological insulator surface, resolved and measured the areas of Cooperon loops. The other two experiments, with magnetic field parallel to wires where conduction occurred on the wire surface, measured the number of times that a Cooperon trajectory wound around the wire.