Signatures of folded branches in the scanning gate microscopy of ballistic electronic cavities

TL;DR

This paper shows how classical features like folded branches appear in scanning gate microscopy images of ballistic electronic cavities, linking classical trajectory deflections to observed patterns.

Contribution

It introduces a classical trajectory-based model to explain complex scanning gate microscopy patterns in ballistic cavities, aligning with recent experimental results.

Findings

Classical branches are folded by the reflector, creating complex spatial patterns.

Relationships between scanning patterns and classical trajectories are established.

Model predictions agree with experimental observations.

Abstract

We demonstrate the emergence of classical features in electronic quantum transport for the scanning gate microscopy response in a cavity defined by a quantum point contact and a micron-sized circular reflector. The branches in electronic flow characteristic of a quantum point contact opening on a two-dimensional electron gas with weak disorder are folded by the reflector, yielding a complex spatial pattern. Considering the deflection of classical trajectories by the scanning gate tip allows to establish simple relationships of the scanning pattern, which are in agreement with recent experimental findings.