Probe-Configuration-Dependent Decoherence in an Aharonov-Bohm Ring

TL;DR

This study investigates how different probe configurations in mesoscopic Aharonov-Bohm rings influence electron decoherence, revealing that nonlocal configurations significantly reduce decoherence, thus offering insights into quantum decoherence mechanisms.

Contribution

It demonstrates that probe configuration affects electron coherence times in Aharonov-Bohm rings, highlighting the importance of measurement setup in quantum transport experiments.

Findings

AB oscillation amplitude and phase explained by Landauer-Büttiker formalism

Decoherence is significantly reduced in nonlocal resistance configurations

Probe configuration strongly influences electron coherence in mesoscopic rings

Abstract

We have measured transport through mesoscopic Aharonov-Bohm (AB) rings with two different four-terminal configurations. While the amplitude and the phase of the AB oscillations are well explained within the framework of the Landaur-B\"uttiker formalism, it is found that the probe configuration strongly affects the coherence time of the electrons, i.e., the decoherence is much reduced in the configuration of so-called nonlocal resistance. This result should provide an important clue in clarifying the mechanism of quantum decoherence in solids.