Classical Correlations and Quantum Interference in Ballistic Conductors

TL;DR

This paper explores how classical chaotic dynamics affect quantum interference in ballistic mesoscopic conductors, emphasizing semiclassical methods that incorporate classical action correlations to understand quantum corrections.

Contribution

It introduces and compares two trajectory-based semiclassical methods for calculating quantum corrections in ballistic conductors, extending beyond the diagonal approximation.

Findings

Classical chaos influences quantum transport properties.

Two main trajectory-based methods are reviewed and compared.

Classical action correlations are crucial for understanding quantum corrections.

Abstract

We illustrate how classical chaotic dynamics influences the quantum properties at mesoscopic scales. As a model case we study semiclassically coherent transport through ballistic mesoscopic systems within the Landauer formalism beyond the so-called diagonal approximation, i.e. by incorporating classical action correlations. In this context we review and explain the two main trajectory-based methods developed for calculating quantum corrections: the configuration space approach and the phase space approach that can be regarded as less illustrative but more general than the first one.