Anomalous drag in electron-hole condensates with granulated order

TL;DR

This paper explains the large low-temperature interlayer drag resistance in bilayer electron-hole systems through a model of granulated condensate regions caused by disorder, highlighting the role of Andreev scattering.

Contribution

It introduces a novel explanation for drag resistance involving granulated electron-hole condensates and disorder effects, connecting microscopic scattering processes to macroscopic measurements.

Findings

Granulated phase explains drag resistance dependence on temperature.

Interlayer coherence occurs only in isolated grains.

Andreev scattering transfers momentum at the grains.

Abstract

We explain the strong interlayer drag resistance observed at low temperatures in bilayer electron-hole systems in terms of an interplay between local electron-hole-pair condensation and disorder-induced carrier density variations. Smooth disorder drives the condensate into a granulated phase where interlayer coherence is formed only in well separated and disconnected regions, or grains, and the densities of electrons and holes accidentally match. The drag resistance is then dominated by Andreev scattering of charge carries between layers at the grains that transfers momentum between layers. We show that this scenario can account for the observed dependence of the drag resistivity on temperature, and on the average charge imbalance between layers.