Aharonov-Bohm conductance of a disordered single-channel quantum ring

TL;DR

This paper investigates how weak disorder affects the tunneling conductance of a single-channel quantum ring under magnetic flux, revealing broadening and splitting of conductance dips due to disorder and spin-orbit interaction.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of disorder effects on quantum ring conductance, including the influence of spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman effects, extending understanding of quantum interference phenomena.

Findings

Disorder broadens antiresonances in conductance.

Long-range disorder introduces additional resonant dips.

Spin-orbit interaction causes splitting of resonant dips.

Abstract

We study the effect of weak disorder on tunneling conductance of a single-channel quantum ring threaded by magnetic flux. We assume that temperature is higher than the level spacing in the ring and smaller than the Fermi energy. In the absence of disorder, the conductance shows sharp dips (antiresonances) as a function of magnetic flux. We discuss different types of disorder and find that the short-range disorder broadens antiresonances, while the long-range one leads to arising of additional resonant dips. We demonstrate that the resonant dips have essentially non-Lorentzian shape. The results are generalized to account for the spin-orbit interaction which leads to splitting of the disorder-broadened resonant dips, and consequently to coexisting of two types of oscillations (both having the form of sharp dips): Aharonov-Bohm oscillations with magnetic flux and Aharonov-Casher oscillations with the strength of the spin-orbit coupling. We also discuss the effect of the Zeeman coupling.