Semiclassical theory of the Ehrenfest-time dependence of quantum transport

TL;DR

This paper develops a semiclassical theory describing how the Ehrenfest time influences quantum transport phenomena such as shot noise, conductance corrections, and fluctuations in ballistic conductors, extending previous models beyond ergodic systems.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive semiclassical framework for Ehrenfest-time effects applicable to arbitrary ballistic conductors, not limited to ergodic systems.

Findings

Ehrenfest time affects shot noise, conductance, and fluctuations.

The theory applies to non-ergodic ballistic conductors.

Provides analytical expressions for quantum transport signatures.

Abstract

In ballistic conductors, there is a low-time threshold for the appearance of quantum effects in transport coefficients. This low-time threshold is the Ehrenfest time. Most previous studies of the Ehrenfest-time dependence of quantum transport assumed ergodic electron dynamics, so that they could be applied to ballistic quantum dots only. In this article we present a theory of the Ehrenfest-time dependence of three signatures of quantum transport - the Fano factor for the shot noise power, the weak localization correction to the conductance, and the conductance fluctuations - for arbitrary ballistic conductors.