Microwave-Induced Dephasing in One-Dimensional Metal Wires

TL;DR

This study investigates how monochromatic microwave radiation affects electron phase coherence in quasi-one-dimensional silver wires, revealing dephasing effects consistent with existing theory without overheating, and suggests MW noise as a cause for dephasing saturation.

Contribution

It demonstrates microwave-induced dephasing in 1D metal wires with improved electron cooling, aligning experimental results with theoretical predictions and highlighting MW noise as a dephasing source.

Findings

MW radiation causes dephasing without overheating.

Dephasing rate depends on MW power and frequency as predicted.

MW noise may cause dephasing saturation at low temperatures.

Abstract

We report on the effect of monochromatic microwave (MW) radiation on the weak localization corrections to the conductivity of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) silver wires. Due to the improved electron cooling in the wires, the MW-induced dephasing was observed without a concomitant overheating of electrons over wide ranges of the MW power $P_{MW}$ and frequency $f$. The observed dependences of the conductivity and MW-induced dephasing rate on $P_{MW}$ and $f$ are in agreement with the theory by Altshuler, Aronov, and Khmelnitsky \cite{Alt81}. Our results suggest that in the low-temperature experiments with 1D wires, saturation of the temperature dependence of the dephasing time can be caused by an MW electromagnetic noise with a sub-pW power.