Origin of the Anomalous Electronic Shot Noise in Atomic-Scale Junctions

TL;DR

This paper explains the nonlinear anomalous shot noise observed in atomic-scale junctions by linking it to quantum coherent transport, the transmission function near the Fermi energy, and bias asymmetry, supported by experimental validation.

Contribution

It introduces a unifying theoretical formula for anomalous shot noise that accounts for sample-specific behaviors and bias asymmetry in atomic-scale junctions.

Findings

The theory accurately predicts both enhancement and suppression of shot noise.

Experimental data on Au junctions agree with the theoretical model.

Bias voltage asymmetry is identified as a key factor in shot noise behavior.

Abstract

Fluctuations pose fundamental limitations in making sensitive measurements, yet at the same time, noise unravels properties that are inaccessible at the level of the averaged signal. In electronic devices, shot noise arises from the discrete nature of charge carriers and it increases linearly with the applied voltage according to the celebrated Schottky formula. Nonetheless, measurements of shot noise in atomic-scale junctions at high voltage reveal significant nonlinear (anomalous) behavior, which varies from sample to sample, and has no specific trend. Here, we provide a viable, unifying explanation for these diverse observations based on the theory of quantum coherent transport. Our formula for the anomalous shot noise relies on---and allows us to resolve---two key characteristics of a conducting junction: The structure of the transmission function at the vicinity of the Fermi energy and the asymmetry of the bias voltage drop at the contacts. We tested our theory on high voltage shot noise measurements on Au atomic scale junctions and demonstrated a quantitative agreement, recovering both the enhancement and suppression of shot noise as observed in different junctions. The good theory-experiment correspondence supports our modelling and emphasizes that the asymmetry of the bias drop on the contacts is a key factor in nanoscale electronic transport, which may substantially impact electronic signals even in incomplex structures.