Anomalous Conductance Distribution in Quasi-One Dimension: Possible Violation of One-Parameter Scaling Hypothesis

TL;DR

This study measures conductance distributions in quasi-one-dimensional gold wires, revealing a non-zero third cumulant that challenges the traditional one-parameter scaling hypothesis and suggests possible deviations from established theories.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of a nonvanishing third cumulant in conductance fluctuations, indicating a potential violation of the one-parameter scaling hypothesis in quasi-one-dimensional systems.

Findings

Observed asymmetric conductance distribution with non-zero third cumulant.

Contradicts predictions of noninteracting theories within the one-parameter scaling framework.

Suggests the need to revisit theoretical models for conductance fluctuations.

Abstract

We report measurements of conductance distribution in a set of quasi-one-dimensional gold wires. The distribution includes the second cumulant or the variance which describes the universal conductance fluctuations, and the third cumulant which denotes the leading deviation. We have observed an asymmetric contribution--or, a nonvanishing third cumulant--contrary to the expectation for quasi-one-dimensional systems in the noninteracting theories in the one-parameter scaling framework, which include the perturbative diagrammatic calculations and the random matrix theory.