Electronic coherence in metals: comparing weak localization and time-dependent conductance fluctuations

TL;DR

This paper compares two quantum correction methods, weak localization and conductance fluctuations, to assess electronic coherence in metals, finding consistent coherence lengths across both techniques in AuPd wires.

Contribution

It demonstrates that weak localization and conductance fluctuation measurements yield consistent coherence lengths in metals, validating their combined use for studying electronic coherence.

Findings

Quantitative agreement between the two measurement methods.

Same coherence length is relevant for both corrections.

Applicable to quasi-one- and two-dimensional AuPd wires.

Abstract

Quantum corrections to the conductivity allow experimental assessment of electronic coherence in metals. We consider whether independent measurements of different corrections are quantitatively consistent, particularly in systems with spin-orbit or magnetic impurity scattering. We report weak localization and time-dependent universal conductance fluctuation data in quasi-one- and two-dimensional AuPd wires between 2 K and 20 K. The data inferred from both methods are in excellent quantitative agreement, implying that precisely the same coherence length is relevant to both corrections.