Statistical model of dephasing in mesoscopic devices introduced in the scattering matrix formalism

TL;DR

This paper introduces a phenomenological model for dephasing in mesoscopic devices using random phase fluctuations within the scattering matrix formalism, validated by simulations matching experimental observations.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach to model dephasing phenomenologically in mesoscopic transport, maintaining key physical symmetries and enabling realistic simulations.

Findings

Simulations reproduce experimental conductance and magnetoconductance behaviors.

Model preserves current conservation and time reversal invariance.

Approach effectively captures decoherence effects in mesoscopic systems.

Abstract

We propose a phenomenological model of dephasing in mesoscopic transport, based on the introduction of random phase fluctuations in the computation of the scattering matrix of the system. A Monte Carlo averaging procedure allows us to extract electrical and microscopic device properties. We show that, in this picture, scattering matrix properties enforced by current conservation and time reversal invariance still hold. In order to assess the validity of the proposed approach, we present simulations of conductance and magnetoconductance of Aharonov-Bohm rings that reproduce the behavior observed in experiments, in particular as far as aspects related to decoherence are concerned.