Revival of electron coherence in a finite-length quantum wire

TL;DR

This paper investigates how electron coherence in a finite quantum wire can decay and unexpectedly revive due to electron-electron interactions and finite-size effects, challenging traditional decay models.

Contribution

It reveals that electron coherence length varies spatially and can revive, driven by fractionalization and recombination effects in a finite-length Luttinger liquid.

Findings

Coherence length varies along the wire.

Electron coherence can revive after decay.

Finite-size effects induce fractionalization and recombination.

Abstract

We study the spatial decay of electron coherence due to electron-electron interaction in a finite-length disorder-free quantum wire. Based on the Luttinger liquid theory, we demonstrate that the coherence length characterizing the exponential decay of the coherence can vary from region to region, and that the coherence can even revive after the decay. This counterintuitive behavior, which is in clear contrast to the conventional exponential decay with single coherence length, is due to the fractionalization of an electron and the finite-size-induced recombination of the fractions.