Tunneling spectroscopy between one-dimensional helical conductors

TL;DR

This paper theoretically analyzes tunneling spectroscopy between two interacting one-dimensional helical conductors, revealing unique interference patterns that distinguish them from regular Luttinger liquids.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for tunneling spectroscopy in helical Luttinger liquids and identifies distinctive interference patterns due to interactions.

Findings

Interference pattern characteristic of interacting helical liquids

Contrast with regular Luttinger liquids shows different tunneling signatures

Magnetic field and voltage bias influence conductance maps

Abstract

We theoretically investigate the tunneling spectroscopy of a system of two parallel one-dimensional helical conductors in the interacting, Luttinger liquid regime. We calculate the non-linear differential conductance as a function of the voltage bias between the conductors and the orbital momentum shift induced on tunneling electrons by an orthogonal magnetic field. We show that the conductance map exhibits an interference pattern which is characteristic to the interacting helical liquid. This can be contrasted with the different interference pattern from tunneling between regular Luttinger liquids which is governed by the spin-charge separation of the elementary collective excitations.