Localization-delocalization transition in non-integer-charged electron wave packets

TL;DR

This paper studies how electron wave functions injected by voltage pulses with non-integer flux quantum can become localized or delocalized in time, revealing a transition influenced by pulse shape and quantum charge properties.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of localization-delocalization transitions in electron wave packets with non-integer flux, including finite-size scaling and universality class distinctions.

Findings

Wave functions can be delocalized or localized depending on flux and charge injection method.

The transition is universal for sharp pulses, independent of pulse profile.

Lorentzian pulses exhibit different transition behavior, indicating a different universality class.

Abstract

We investigate the wave function of electrons and holes injected by voltage pulses with non-integer flux quantum. We find that the wave function can be delocalized in the time domain, which is measured by using the inverse participation ratio. As the flux approaches an integer multiples of flux quantum, the wave function can either remain delocalized or undergo a localization-delocalization transition. The former case occurs for the neutral electron-hole pairs, while the latter case occurs for electrons and holes which are injected individually. We perform the finite-size scaling analysis of the inverse participation ratio to further clarify the nature of the localization-delocalization transition. The scaling function and correlation length are determined numerically by the data collapse method. We find that the localization-delocalization transition is universal in the sense that the scaling function and correlation length is insensitive to the pulse profile when the pulse is sufficiently sharp. In contrast, they exhibit quantitatively different behavior for the Lorentzian pulse, indicating the corresponding localization-delocalization transition belongs to a different universality class.