Correlated Quantum Transport of Density Wave Electrons

TL;DR

This paper investigates the quantum transport phenomena in charge density wave electrons, proposing a soliton-based tunneling model that explains observed quantum interference and matches experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a field-dependent tunneling model for density wave electrons and demonstrates its agreement with experimental voltage oscillations and current-voltage characteristics.

Findings

Quantum solitons nucleate and transport current above a Coulomb blockade threshold.

The proposed model quantitatively matches experimental data in NbSe3.

A phase diagram predicts conditions for soliton nucleation versus classical depinning.

Abstract

Recently observed Aharonov-Bohm quantum interference of period h/2e in charge density wave rings strongly suggest that correlated density wave electron transport is a cooperative quantum phenomenon. The picture discussed here posits that quantum solitons nucleate and transport current above a Coulomb blockade threshold field. We propose a field-dependent tunneling matrix element and use the Schrodinger equation, viewed as an emergent classical equation as in Feynman's treatment of Josephson tunneling, to compute the evolving macrostate amplitudes, finding excellent quantitative agreement with voltage oscillations and current-voltage characteristics in NbSe3. A proposed phase diagram shows the conditions favoring soliton nucleation versus classical depinning. (Published in Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 036404 (2012).)